Looking back on a year’s journey and forward to 2020
07 January | 2020 Oikocredit’s Managing Director, Thos Gieskes, looks back on Oikocredit’s journey in 2019 and forward to the new year 2020. full storyMerry Christmas and Happy New Year
23 December | 2019 The Christmas holidays are drawing closer, and we can look back on an eventful year 2019. We want to thank you for your successful cooperation. Together we were able to push sustainable ... full storyOikocredit exits Zambian fish farm Yalelo
10 December | 2019 Oikocredit has exited its investment in the Zambian fish farm Yalelo Limited, after investing since 2014 and supporting its production growth from under 2,000 tonnes of tilapia fish in 2014 to 12,000 tonnes today. Yalelo is the largest sustainable aquaculture company in Africa. full storyOikocredit exits its investment in Zambian fish farm Yalelo
10 December | 2019 Social impact investor Oikocredit has supported Yalelo since 2014 as it became Africa’s largest sustainable aquaculture company. full story
Fraudulent app alert
05 December | 2019 Oikocredit would like to alert its partners, investors and the general public of the following fraudulent app: OikoCredit Loans full storyTea: good prospects from great heights
03 December | 2019 Private and public stakeholders in the Rwandan tea sector join forces to empower rural farmers – helped with finance from Oikocredit. That’s just my cup of tea. full storyMusoni: putting low-income clients first in the digital age
19 November | 2019 The digital revolution is expanding the range and delivery of financial services to those traditionally overlooked by banks, with electronic money models and new digital payment platforms. We look at the work of Oikocredit partner Musoni Kenya Microfinance, a pioneer in the provision of digital financial services, and how its cooperation with Oikocredit in client protection principles helps it to serve low-income clients when digital services are provided. full storySocial performance: "Choosing a partner is just the beginning"
08 November | 2019 The desire to achieve a positive social impact is the reason why people invest in Oikocredit. How does this goal become reality? We spoke to Oikocredit’s social performance team, Ging Ledesma, Kawien Ziedses des Plantes and Yolirruth Nuñez, about capacity building, trust, monitoring, the cooperative’s DNA and its successes. full storyLet’s give SMEs the recognition they deserve, in Mexico and all around the world
29 October | 2019 Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are at the heart of job creation and retention, all around the world. Yet so many SMEs do not have access to the finance they need. We invite you to watch a short video from Oikocredit’s office in Mexico to see why Oikocredit supports SMEs. full story
Greenforest begins our European road show
09 October | 2019 Yesterday evening in Hamburg Oikocredit’s partner Greenforest, a leading Kenyan honey brand, began our annual road show, bringing our partner and investors together. full storyOikocredit invests in Ugandan tea processor Kayonza
01 October | 2019 Solidaridad helped community enterprise Kayonza Growers Tea Factory secure a USD 3.15 million loan from Oikocredit, for the benefit of Kayonza's 7,500 smallholder farmers. full storyUgandan tea processor secures USD 3.15 million investment
01 October | 2019 Utrecht/Amersfoort, the Netherlands - Solidaridad has facilitated USD 3.15 million of financing for Ugandan tea processor Kayonza Tea Factory in the form of a long-term loan from social impact ... full story
Oikocredit increases investment in Colombian fintech Sempli
24 September | 2019 Oikocredit has teamed with Incofin to lead a round raising USD 8 million of investment in fintech partner Sempli, to help grow thousands more small businesses in Colombia. full storyColombian fintech Sempli raises USD 8 million in Series A round led by Oikocredit and Incofin CVSO
24 September | 2019 Leading online lender for Colombian small businesses Sempli reaches USD 24 million in fundraising after 2.5 years of operations full story
Interview: Oikocredit’s latest Impact Report
17 September | 2019 We interviewed Ging Ledesma, Oikocredit’s Director of Social Performance Innovation, to get behind some of the numbers from Oikocredit’s Impact Report 2019, and revisit fundamental questions about social impact. full storyOikocredit launches Impact Report 2019
10 September | 2019 Oikocredit’s Impact Report is now live and ready for download. The new publication replaces the Social and Environmental Performance Report and showcases data from across Oikocredit’s activities. full storyOikocredit signs KES 1 billion equity investment in Credit Bank
29 August | 2019 Nairobi, Kenya – Credit Bank PLC has signed a KES 1 billion equity investment with social impact investor Oikocredit today. The investment, which is subject to regulatory approvals, will see Oikocredit take a minority stake in Credit Bank full story
Boosting efforts across focus sectors and strengthening partners
31 July | 2019 As we head into the second half of the year, Oikocredit’s Managing Director, Thos Gieskes, brings us up to date on the cooperative’s latest developments. He explains how we are boosting efforts in our focus sectors and going beyond finance to broaden the ways in which we support our partners, aiming to strengthen their businesses and their networks.The interview also highlights this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) held in June and offers some insight into our upcoming Impact Report to be published in September. full story
Interview: Providing affordable housing loans for low and middle-income families in Cambodia
24 July | 2019 Sothany Chun is the CEO of Oikocredit partner First Finance plc, a financial institution which provides housing and home-improvement loans to people on low and middle-incomes in Cambodia. Oikocredit’s Support Association in the Netherlands recently met with her to discuss her background, work and how First Finance is helping to improve lives by increasing access to home ownership. full storyJessy’s Story: A Taste of Success in Zambia
10 July | 2019 “I am passionate about cooking and I taught myself how to cook. I also teach my staff. I buy local products and have a farmer who grows certain ingredients especially for me,” says Jessy Chipindo, restaurant owner and client of Oikocredit partner Entrepreneurs Financial Centre Zambia. full storyOikocredit annual general meeting votes on dividend and supervisory board
21 June | 2019 From 17 to 20 June 2019 delegates from Oikocredit member organisations and Oikocredit staff gathered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, for the annual general meeting (AGM) week. full storyBridging the Gender Gap…. At Home
13 June | 2019 Not so long ago, Ka Oting Villanueva, like many men in the central Philippines province of Negros Occidental, regarded a husband’s role as simply that of a provider. “He never used to help me with any of the household chores,” says his wife. “In fact, I don’t think it ever crossed his mind!” full storyHow do coffee cooperatives support smallholder coffee farmers in Peru?
29 May | 2019 Two billion cups of coffee served every day. 200 billion US dollars in sales every year. So why are some farmers happy when none of their children wish to follow them into the coffee-growing business? full storyOikocredit invests in Latin American responsible specialty coffee trader Caravela
22 May | 2019 The Netherlands / United Kingdom – Social impact investor Oikocredit has closed a US$ 4.7 million investment in Caravela Coffee, a specialty coffee trader that sources coffee in Latin America using direct trade principles. full story
Equity investment to foster sustainable coffee trading
22 May | 2019 Oikocredit has announced a US$ 4.7 million investment in Caravela Coffee, a Latin American responsible specialty coffee trader. full storyOikocredit expands its fintech portfolio in Mexico
02 May | 2019 Oikocredit has invested in Mexican fintech Ku-Bo Financiero to boost access to affordable finance for individuals across Mexico. full storyOikocredit invests in fintech KU-BO FINANCIERO, S.A. DE C.V., S.F.P. (Ku-Bo) to support people in Mexico without access to financial services
02 May | 2019 Amersfoort, the Netherlands / Mexico City, Mexico – Social impact investor Oikocredit has provided financing to Ku-Bo, a Mexican fintech specialised in crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending aimed at individuals within the medium and low socio-economic sector of the population with limited access to credit. full story
Oikocredit and MOCA join forces to strengthen cocoa cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire
16 April | 2019 Oikocredit and the Maximizing Opportunities in Cocoa Activity (MOCA) project have signed a memorandum of understanding to support the sustainable development of smallholder cocoa cooperatives in Côte d’Ivoire. full storyIt’s more than just finance [interview]
10 April | 2019 Oikocredit just published its financial results for 2018. For a deeper look at the results and insights on how the cooperative is working towards improving its future results, we interviewed Oikocredit’s Director of Finance & Risk, Laura Pool. In the interview Laura also explains why providing expertise and using the right financial instruments can make all the difference. full storyOikocredit’s portfolio and member capital grow as it implements updated strategy
27 March | 2019 Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit today published its annual results for 2018. Despite 2018 being a year of change for Oikocredit, the cooperative’s net income after taxation improved compared to 2017 with both lendable funds and the development financing portfolio showing growth. full story
Oikocredit publishes its annual report for 2018 along with key financial highlights
27 March | 2019 Today Oikocredit announced its annual results for 2018. The press release explains how despite changes at the organisation and the prevailing low interest rate environment, Oikocredit has managed to grow its development financing portfolio. full storyTechnology is part of the solution
25 March | 2019 Financial technologies – “fintech” for short – are revolutionising the financial industry worldwide. How can technological developments further financial inclusion? What impact is fintech having on Oikocredit and its partners? Oikocredit’s West Germany Support Association spoke to Oikocredit’s Business Development Specialist in Amersfoort, Vincent van Dugteren, to find out. full story
Oikocredit invests in affordable housing finance provider Sitara in India
21 March | 2019 Oikocredit has made an equity investment of INR 670 million in affordable housing finance company Sitara together with Omidyar Network india, HDFC Life Insurance, HDFC Holdings Ltd. and Women’s World Banking to foster inclusion and equality in the Indian home loans sector. full storyEmpowering women in Indonesia through financial inclusion
28 February | 2019 Mimin Among wears a broad smile when talking about how she earns a living making krupuk (Indonesian deep-fried prawn crackers): “We started a small business in 2004 after years of working for other people. We joined the Komida cooperative in 2009 and used our first loan to buy woks which we still use now. The business is doing well and we employ 10 neighbours to help us keep up with demand.” full storyOikocredit appoints Patrick Stutvoet as Director of IT and Operations
27 February | 2019 27 February 2019, Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor Oikocredit has appointed Patrick Stutvoet to the position of Director of IT and Operations, effective 1 March 2019. full story
Patrick Stutvoet becomes Oikocredit’s new Director of IT and Operations
27 February | 2019 Oikocredit is pleased to announce the appointment of Patrick Stutvoet as Director of IT and Operations, and newest member of the cooperative’s Managing Board, effective 1 March 2019. full storyOikocredit invests USD 3.3 million in Mexican student finance provider Laudex
19 February | 2019 19 February 2019, Mexico City, Mexico / Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor Oikocredit has closed an investment of USD 3.3 million in Laudex, a financial inclusion institution ... full story
Oikocredit invests in Laudex to encourage social inclusion in Mexico’s education sector
18 February | 2019 Oikocredit has closed an investment of USD 3.3 million in Laudex, a financial inclusion institution providing loans to students for higher education in Mexico. full storyWith my chickens, I feel free
30 January | 2019 Last month, a group of Oikocredit investors, volunteers and staff spent a week in Peru for the 2018 study tour. One of the partners they visited was financial inclusion organisation ProEmpresa and its end-clients in Lima’s suburbs. Marion Wedegärtner from Oikocredit’s West German Support Association shared her impressions of the trip. full storyReflecting on 2018 and looking forward
29 January | 2019 Oikocredit’s Managing Director, Thos Gieskes, reflects on 2018 and shares what is ahead for the cooperative. full story