Oikocredit UK & Ireland Newsletter
July 2016

Investing in Latin America’s small-to-medium-sized social enterprises

In June we released our latest social performance results. These highlight our commitment to inclusive finance, small-scale agriculture and renewable energy ventures, as well as our outreach to small-to-medium-sized social enterprises positively impacting disadvantaged communities.

In this newsletter you will find a summary of these 2015 social impact results and some case studies from Latin America - including some of our loans to small social enterprises (SMEs) in Ecuador and Mexico, and an interview with our country manager in Mexico discussing our work with credit unions.

Our latest facts and figures can also be found below.

 

Accessing finance: A challenge for Ecuador's indigenous peoples

In the Chimborazo province of Ecuador the majority of indigenous peoples are excluded from the traditional financial sector and find it difficult to obtain small loans to sustain their livelihoods.

Oikocredit's social enterprise partner, Cooperativa Daquilema, is focused on changing this.  They provide loans and savings products for these unbanked communities so that they can build their own ventures and create their own paths out of poverty. 

More about the Ecuadorian entrepreneurs who rely on microfinance
 

Supporting SMEs in Mexico

Oikocredit's partner, Concreces, is a credit union supporting small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are focused on impacting disadvantaged groups in Mexico. Its aims are to bring greater prosperity and economic growth to the state of Oaxaca by promoting inclusive finance. 

Read the story of Concreces
 

An interview with Oikocredit Mexico

We interviewed Oikocredit's Mexico country manager, Carlos Rius, and asked him why working with credit unions, such as Concreces, has become a focal point for his local impact investing strategy.

Read the interview with Carlos Ruis
 

Oikocredit's social impact results

Oikocredit reached 46 million end borrowers through its microfinance partners in 2015 - 86% were women, 51% were living in rural areas, 24% relied on agricultural activities to meet their needs.  Social impact investing in low-income countries (a subset of developing countries) was up 22% while investments in Fairtrade increased by 24%.

Read the full press release on our results
 

Oikocredit's latest facts & figures

In 2015 Oikocredit's total assets reached €1 billion while our development finance portfolio reached a record € 911 million. Our social impact investing activities took place in 69 countries across Latin America, Asia, Africa and Central & Eastern Europe.  Investments in Africa (a priority growth area for Oikocredit) increased by 52% year-on-year. 

See our key facts & figures
 

About the header image

Pictured is Maria Digna Remache Chato, an end borrower of Oikocredit Ecuadorian partner, Cooperativa Ambato. The credit and savings co-operative works almost exclusively with indigenous members of the Ambato peoples.

More about Cooperativa Ambato
 
A focus on gender lens investing

'When more women work, invest and spend, economies grow'

Oikocredit UK and Ireland continues its serialisation of Oikocredit case studies in the Guardian online.  This month we focus on the spirited women creating impact from one end of the social finance chain to the other. From Ecuador to Ghana, from London to Germany, read about the enterprising women making waves in social impact investing.

Read more in the Guardian>
 
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