Solidarity: the strength of our network
01 July | 2020 In this interview we catch up with our Managing Director, Thos Gieskes, and our Director of Finance & Risk, Laura Pool, to reflect on the June annual general meeting (AGM). They talk about the decision to not pay a dividend for 2019, how Oikocredit supports its partners during the pandemic, and more. full story
Lessening the Covid-19 impact today makes a big difference for the future [Interview]
30 June | 2020 There has been huge interest from Oikocredit’s members and investors to know more about Oikocredit’s coronavirus solidarity fund. Here we interview Andrea Domínguez, Oikocredit’s Global Capacity Building Specialist, and find out more about the fund and how it might develop. full storyTHE WATER MAN – part 1 of 2
18 June | 2020 Written by Elikanah Ng'ang'a, Social Performance & Capacity Building Officer - Oikocredit AfricaThe Water Man story tells of one man’s determination to bend the Covid-19 curve, and provides lessons for Oikocredit partners, staff and investors. In this first part of his blog, Elikanah writes about how the Water Man inspired him and other Oikocredit staff in the Oikocredit office in Kenya. full story
Oikocredit exits its investment in Fairtrade chocolate company Divine Chocolate
17 June | 2020 Social impact investor Oikocredit has supported Divine since 2006 as it expanded its footprint from the United Kingdom to the USA full storyOikocredit exits its investment in Fairtrade chocolate company Divine Chocolate
17 June | 2020 Social impact investor Oikocredit has supported Divine since 2006 as it expanded its footprint from the United Kingdom to the USA full story
Oikocredit holds annual general meeting, members decide on dividend
15 June | 2020 Last week the cooperative’s 44th annual general meeting (AGM) was held in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, with members and others participating through a web-based conferencing and electronic voting system. full storyMFIs Covid-19 awareness training
09 June | 2020 Oikocredit is supporting its partners during the pandemic with several initiatives. Maanaveeya, Oikocredit’s subsidiary in India, worked with MicroSave Consulting who developed a pamphlet to promote awareness of Covid-19 for microfinance institutions (MFI) full storyVideo tour of Oikocredit’s work in Ghana
08 June | 2020 A short video is now available to provide you with insight on the work of Oikocredit in Ghana. At a time of social distancing and with few people traveling, it is useful to remind ourselves of how useful our investors find these tours. full storyWith Renewable Energy: an Interview with David ten Kroode
28 May | 2020 In mid-2014 Oikocredit welcomed renewable energy (RE) financing expert, David ten Kroode, to build up and manage what was then a new sector for Oikocredit: financing RE projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We spoke with David, now RE Manager at Oikocredit, about the developments of the past five years and what the future may bring. full storyQuarterly report: Withstanding the crisis
25 May | 2020 Four times a year Oikocredit publishes key facts and figures on the previous quarter. Here we provide our investors and others with additional background context. full story
Learning from Leaders: a Cup of Coffee with Dr Godwin Ehigiamusoe
11 May | 2020 Challenging situations like the coronavirus require new thinking on many levels. Learning from Leaders, a Cup of Coffee with... is a new series of online encounters launched by Oikocredit International. full storyThe main thing is sustainability [interview]
08 May | 2020 Aldo Risco Mejia is responsible for agriculture investments in northern South America at our Oikocredit office in Lima. We spoke with him about his practical experience of fair trade. full storyOikocredit revised its dividend proposal for 2019 from 1% to 0%.
06 May | 2020 Social impact investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit has revised its dividend proposal for 2019 from 1% to 0%. full story
Oikocredit revises dividend proposal
06 May | 2020 Social impact investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit has revised its dividend proposal for 2019 from 1% to 0%. full story
Oikocredit foundation creates coronavirus solidarity fund
05 May | 2020 With more government measures in place to combat the spread of Covid-19, many small business in Africa, Asia and Latin America are struggling to find the means to comply with regulations. To support these businesses, Oikocredit’s foundation has launched a coronavirus solidarity fund. full storyChange to Oikocredit’s Managing Board
04 May | 2020 Laura Pool, Director of Finance & Risk, has decided to leave Oikocredit for personal reasons to pursue a career change. She will continue in her position until the end of the year. full storyOikocredit and other impact investors agree coronavirus coordination principles
01 May | 2020 Leading microfinance and impact fund managers have signed an MoU for debt refinancing coordination principles, to support the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. full storyCoffee, Cocoa, and the Coronavirus [Interview]
28 April | 2020 We spoke with Hans Perk, Regional Director Africa and Global Agricultural Sector Specialist, about what is working and what is not in the coffee and cocoa supply chains. How can we better make these supply chains work for the poor and vulnerable post Covid-19? full storyImpact investors jointly commit to supporting low-income communities in Covid-19 crisis
14 April | 2020 Together with other members of the Dutch Platform for Inclusive Finance (NpM) Oikocredit signed the Covid-19 Investor Statement, which has been issued by impact investors in emerging markets. full storySocial impact in the pandemic: how Oikocredit is helping partners fight back [blog]
09 April | 2020 As the coronavirus crisis continues to spread across the globe, Ging Ledesma, Oikocredit’s Director of Social Performance Innovation, is helping lead Oikocredit’s rapid response to the evolving needs of our partners, going beyond the financial support we offer them. Here Ging shares the steps Oikocredit has already taken to support our partners at this critical moment, and why innovation and community are crucial in these extremely challenging times. full storyNomination for appointment to the Supervisory Board
09 April | 2020 Joseph Patterson has been nominated as candidate for appointment to the Supervisory Board of Oikocredit International by the Supervisory Board, to be voted on at the General Meeting of members in June. full storyProtecting organisations against coronavirus scams – tips for partners
08 April | 2020 Criminals are seeking to capitalise on the Covid-19 pandemic, exploiting the pandemic to trick businesses via fake invoices, phishing emails and phone calls. full storyIt's not just about growth [interview]
06 April | 2020 Laura Pool, Director of Finance & Risk says: “It's not only about growth in the portfolio, but the quality.” In this interview she provides her insights into the financial results, reflects on Oikocredit’s development as an organisation, and talks about how these results and developments will help Oikocredit face the ongoing coronavirus crisis. full storyIndian Oikocredit subsidiary supports government relief fund for coronavirus
06 April | 2020 Maanaveeya, Oikocredit’s subsidiary in India, has donated two million Indian Rupees (approximately € 24,000) to the Telangana Chief Minister’s Relief Fund on 31 March 2020 to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19). full storyProtecting yourself against coronavirus scams – tips for investors
03 April | 2020 Criminals are seeking to capitalise on the Covid-19 pandemic, exploiting the pandemic to trick people into sharing personal or financial information via phishing emails and phone calls. full storyOikocredit publishes its annual report for 2019
02 April | 2020 Today we published our annual report which informs investors and other stakeholders about our financial performance from the past year. full storyMessage from the Managing Director: “Working together through uncertain times”
26 March | 2020 Thos Gieskes, Managing Director of Oikocredit, has the following message for Oikocredit’s stakeholders. full storyOikocredit announces 2019 results and partner satisfaction [press release]
19 March | 2020 Today Oikocredit announced its annual results for 2019. The results reveal an improved financial performance and steady growth in the cooperative’s development finance portfolio. full storyOikocredit reports positive results and partner satisfaction
19 March | 2020 Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit today published its annual results for 2019. The cooperative has made good headway in streamlining its business model, maintained investor confidence and received positive feedback from the organisations it finances. full story
Oikocredit and the novel coronavirus (Covid-19)
13 March | 2020 As the coronavirus pandemic develops, there is increasing uncertainty about its consequences. We’re seeing lives and livelihoods affected across the world, in both economically rich and poor countries. full story€ 1 million investment in ACE clean cooking
12 March | 2020 Oikocredit has made a € 1 million loan to African Clean Energy (ACE), a Certified B Corporation and social enterprise, to support the expansion of business operations in Uganda. full storyOikocredit invests € 1 million in African Clean Energy (ACE) to support clean cooking and rural electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa
12 March | 2020 Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor Oikocredit has made a € 1 million convertible loan to African Clean Energy, a Certified B Corporation and social enterprise, to support the expansion of business operations in Uganda. full story
No development without risk [interview]
10 March | 2020 After being a shareholder for five years, Oikocredit recently exited from the Zambian aquaculture company Yalelo. We spoke to Albert Hofsink, non-executive member of Yalelo’s board of directors, and Evert Ludding, Oikocredit’s Equity Manager. full storyOn the trail of cocoa
19 February | 2020 In west Ghana, Oikocredit’s recent study tour accompanies the cocoa farmer Paul Bukuroh Appiah to a place where chocolate has its origins. Corinna Groß, PR Officer at Oikocredit’s support association Baden-Württemberg in Germany, shares her journey with us. She brings the tour to life and sees first-hand how Oikocredit’s partner Fedco makes life a little better for the people in the small village of Pieso. full storyFair is when all benefit
04 February | 2020 Once a year, Oikocredit brings together a partner and investors in its annual road show. This time around, it was the turn of Athanas Matheka, co-founder of Greenforest Foods Limited in Kenya. full storyVolunteers and staff meet our partners in Ghana
27 January | 2020 A group of Oikocredit volunteers and staff have travelled from Europe and North America to Ghana for our 2020 study tour, taking place this week. Participants will visit financial inclusion partner organisations and end-clients, as well as a renewable energy partner. There will also be a visit to one of Oikocredit's cocoa partners. full storyMost read: our six biggest stories in 2019
21 January | 2020 We look back at the partner stories and announcements that were most popular on our website last year. full storyLooking 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
Colombian 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
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 storyInterview: 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 UPDATE: The deal was not pursued further as of late 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
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 storyEquity 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 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
Oikocredit 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 storyStrengthening market access for small-scale farmers in India
17 January | 2019 “Before we worked with Y-Cook we didn’t grow sweet corn, but only flowers and millet. With corn we have fixed prices, which are much better,” says Krishna Muthy, a farmer from the village of Kanekal in India’s Andhra Pradesh state. As a farmer supplier to Oikocredit’s Indian partner Y-Cook, he has seen his corn crop prices and yields improve significantly, providing him with a stable income and a better quality of life for his whole family. full storyOikocredit invests in SolarNow to help bring solar energy to 17,500 customers in Uganda
08 January | 2019 Oikocredit has closed its largest investment yet in off-grid solar company SolarNow, together with SunFunder and responsAbility. full storyBuilding Disaster Resiliency: A Guidebook
12 December | 2018 Disaster resiliency is an important component in Oikocredit’s capacity building work with partners in areas prone to natural disasters. After successfully piloting a disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) programme in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, it has now been extended to partners in other countries like Ecuador. full storyOikocredit’s updated Vision & Strategy published
03 December | 2018 Oikocredit has published its updated Vision & Strategy. The brochure sets out Oikocredit’s strategic direction for the coming years, including the cooperative’s strategic ambitions and the ... full storyCall for Oikocredit Supervisory Board applications
29 November | 2018 Oikocredit is seeking skilled and experienced individuals to stand for election to its Supervisory Board during the next Annual General Meeting in June 2019. full storyA new operating model for Oikocredit [interview]
27 November | 2018 Earlier this year, Oikocredit introduced its updated strategy. Bart van Eyk, Oikocredit’s Director of Investments, shares the latest details of our updated strategy and explains how changes to our regional setup will help us to better serve our partners with the aim of creating an even stronger social impact. full storyInvestors and volunteers visit Oikocredit partners in Peru
26 November | 2018 A group of Oikocredit investors, volunteers and staff will soon be heading to Peru for this year’s study tour, which takes place from 2 to 8 December. Participants will visit a financial inclusion organisation and its end-clients in Lima. In Jaén and San Ignacio, they will visit a fair-trade coffee cooperative and its farmer members. full storyTurning organic waste into energy: how Oikocredit offsets its carbon footprint
20 November | 2018 Offsetting carbon is an important way for Oikocredit to contribute to climate change mitigation and protection of the environment. For almost a year now, Oikocredit has been working with FairClimateFund to offset its carbon footprint. full storyOikocredit invests in cashew processor Anatrans in Burkina Faso
14 November | 2018 Social impact investor Oikocredit has taken a € 2 million stake in Burkinabe cashew processor Anatrans full story
Preserving the future of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire
13 November | 2018 Nearly half of the world’s chocolate supply is grown in Côte d’Ivoire1, where more than a million smallholder farmers depend on cocoa production for their livelihoods. Cocoa is also vital to the ... full storyWool with a name
05 November | 2018 John Lennon wore Manos del Uruguay, and among its current fans are a number of celebrities and even royalty. All Manos products are signed by the woman who dyed the wool, and each product is handcrafted and therefore unique. full storyOikocredit and BID LAB invest in fintech Sempli to support Colombian SMEs
31 October | 2018 31 October 2018, Bogotá, Colombia – Social impact investor Oikocredit and the Inter-American Development Bank (BID LAB) have closed an investment of USD 5.7 million in Sempli, a Colombian fintech that provides loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). full story
Oikocredit invests in FinTech Sempli to support sustainable growth of SMEs in Colombia
31 October | 2018 Together with the Inter-American Development Bank (BID LAB), Oikocredit has closed an investment of USD 5.7 million in the Colombian FinTech Sempli. full storyOikocredit invests in Kenyan fertiliser plant to raise farmers’ yields and incomes
23 October | 2018 Oikocredit has made an equity investment in Sub Saharan Africa’s first fertiliser granulation and manufacturing plant Fertiplant East Africa. Oikocredit joins the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in funding construction of the plant, which will benefit farmers’ incomes and enhance food security in the region. full storyFinancial results for social impact [interview]
17 October | 2018 As Oikocredit implements its updated strategy, the cooperative continues to work with its members and investors to share the latest developments and progress being made. The worldwide cooperative’s West Germany Support Association recently sat down with Irene van Oostwaard, Director of Finance at Oikocredit, to learn more about current financial topics, as well as Irene's own insights and passion for the organisation. full storyMaking a difference in Mexico: the value of investing in SMEs
10 October | 2018 Financial inclusion is Oikocredit’s largest priority sector. Through Oikocredit’s updated strategy the cooperative aims to deepen its engagement with its microfinance partners while also seeking partners beyond traditional financial institutions. Oikocredit is increasingly aiming to make an impact for the ‘missing middle’ by targeting finance to small to medium enterprises (SMEs) – like it is doing in Mexico. full storyFintech and social impact investing in India [interview]
02 October | 2018 As part of its updated strategy, Oikocredit continues to seek partnerships beyond traditional financial institutions. Partnering with fintech companies that target underserved communities with innovative financial technologies is one way the cooperative is doing this. To learn more about the role of fintech in social impact investing, and more specifically in India, we spoke with Arun Nayyar, the CEO of Oikocredit partner NeoGrowth. full storyOikocredit’s equity investment supports India’s agriculture value chain
01 October | 2018 Oikocredit has made an equity investment in Origo Commodities, a company which provides post-harvest agriculture supply chain financing and logistics solutions across 12 Indian states to over 3,500 clients, including more than 1,400 farmers. full storyOikocredit signs Fair Trade Charter to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals
25 September | 2018 Today, Oikocredit joined more than 250 organisations around the world in launching an International Fair Trade Charter which sets down the fundamental values of Fair Trade and defines a common vision toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). full storyOikocredit invests in Brazilian FinTech Avante to support one million micro-entrepreneurs by 2021
06 September | 2018 Oikocredit welcomes Avante, a Brazilian FinTech that empowers micro-entrepreneurs through financial technology, to its growing FinTech portfolio. full storyOikocredit invests in Brazilian FinTech Avante to support one million micro-entrepreneurs by 2021
06 September | 2018 6 September 2018, Amersfoort, the Netherlands / São Paulo, Brazil – Social impact investor Oikocredit has acquired a stake in Avante, a Brazilian FinTech offering financial services to micro-entrepreneurs at the base of the pyramid. full story
Oikocredit’s first off-grid solar project in Latin America to support 250,000 people
05 September | 2018 Together with Dutch development bank FMO, Oikocredit invested in Kingo, an off-grid energy supplier, to help them expand to rural areas in Guatemala. full storyEquity investment to improve lives in El Salvador
29 August | 2018 “Quitting my job at the factory was a good decision. We make a profit of US$ 300 a week…when I worked in the factory I earned US$ 60 a week.” full storyRising to the coffee challenge: high yields, high quality and environmental sustainability
22 August | 2018 “It’s not easy to grow in a sustainable way”, says Wilson Olivera, President of Peruvian coffee cooperative Central Fronteriza del Norte de Cafetaleros (Cenfrocafe). full storyThe Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance releases ‘State of the Sector’ report
08 August | 2018 Oikocredit is a member of the Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF), which just published its annual ‘State of the Sector’ report. full storyOikocredit article on home solar and microfinance published on NextBillion
26 July | 2018 NextBillion published Oikocredit’s Renewable Energy Investment Officer, Mark Roesink’s article ‘Home Solar+Microfinance: Mitigating Risks and Maximising Rewards.’ full storyGoing above and beyond: Oikocredit’s Social and Environmental Performance Report [Interview]
17 July | 2018 Oikocredit just published its latest Social and Environmental Performance Report (SEPR) showing that the worldwide cooperative surpasses the sector average for outreach to female clients. To learn more about this and other highlights in the report, and to gain a better understanding of why Oikocredit reports on its social and environmental performance, we spoke with Ging Ledesma, Oikocredit’s Investor Relations and Social Performance Director. full storyOikocredit outperforms sector in microfinance outreach to women
12 July | 2018 The social impact investor's latest Social & Environmental Performance Report also showed strong progress on indicators for renewable energy full story
Oikocredit surpasses sector average for outreach to female microfinance clients
12 July | 2018 Today Oikocredit published its latest Social and Environmental Performance Report (SEPR) which shows that nearly 90% of clients reached by the microfinance organisations Oikocredit invests in are women, compared to the sector average of 70%. full storyOikocredit annual general meeting takes place in India
22 June | 2018 Last week, Oikocredit’s annual general meeting took place in Chennai, India. full storyOikocredit signs new guidelines on responsible digital financial inclusion
20 June | 2018 Oikocredit joined over 50 fintech investors and innovators to develop guidelines aimed at spreading the benefits of the digital financial services revolution more widely. full storyJoin us in cities across Europe for a taste of Fapecafes fair trade coffee
11 June | 2018 Oikocredit’s annual European road show kicks off 18 June in Berlin and will travel to various cities in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. full storyGetting together for sustainable coffee in June
06 June | 2018 Anyone for sustainably sourced coffee? You can get a taste of Oikocredit’s collaborative efforts in the sustainable coffee sector by following our coffee-themed updates which we will share with you throughout June. full storyThos Gieskes: why we’ve updated our strategy and how we’re aiming for more impact [interview]
24 May | 2018 Last month we announced our financial results and introduced Oikocredit’s updated strategy. Our Managing Director Thos Gieskes shares more details on what’s different about the new approach, why focus is so important, and how social impact remains at Oikocredit’s heart. full storyA cool head and a warm heart: how to produce organic and fair trade honey [partner story]
11 May | 2018 There's lots that we can learn from bees: alternative ways of working, serving the community and sharing. We talked to Luis Enrique Castañón Chavarría, Managing Director of Oikocredit’s fair trade and organic partner Miel Mexicana, about how bees cooperate, the beekeeping industry and its international customers. full storyOikocredit invests € 1 million in renewable energy company Inyenyeri
02 May | 2018 Today Oikocredit and Inyenyeri announced the € 1 million loan investment at the Sustainable Energy for All Forum in Lisbon, Portugal. full storyOikocredit invests € 1 million in clean cooking with Rwanda’s Inyenyeri, to “Leave No One Behind”
02 May | 2018 Clean fuel company Inyenyeri will use the convertible loan to reach 150,000 households by 2020. full story
Ogunte interviews Oikocredit UK & Ireland's National Director Monica Middleton
30 April | 2018 Servane Mouazan interviews Monica Middleton to find out a little more about her background, Oikocredit, gender-lens investing and what really makes her tick. full storyE-Hands: solar energy for India’s unbanked
26 April | 2018 In India, some 270 million people, a fifth of the population, lack access to electricity1. Some 90% of the country’s off-grid communities are based in remote, rural areas, with many households ... full storyOikocredit Annual Report and press release highlighting 2017
11 April | 2018 Today Oikocredit published its annual report and press release for its 2017 financial results. full storyOikocredit announces annual results and reveals enhanced strategy to strengthen social impact
11 April | 2018 Amersfoort, the Netherlands – Social impact investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit today published its annual results for 2017. Oikocredit continues to fulfil its ambition to improve the quality of life of low-income people by providing financing and capacity building support to 747 partner organisations active in inclusive finance, agriculture and renewable energy. full story
Oikocredit Feature in Positive News
06 April | 2018 Oikocredit has been listed on the Brands of Inspiration page of Positive News. This section looks at organisations with a positive story to tell including Oikocredit. full storyChurches Together in Britain & Ireland: How microfinance is empowering Kenyan women
06 April | 2018 Since 1981, the Kenyan Women Microfinance Bank (KWFT) has provided loans and savings products to 500,000 women in Kenya. Oikocredit chose to partner with KWFT back in 2010, due to its focus on empowering female entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas. full storyEnhancing coffee cooperatives’ price risk management
29 March | 2018 From 21 February to 1 March, Oikocredit held two workshops in the Peruvian city of Jaén on price risk management (PRM) for coffee cooperatives in Peru and Colombia. full storyHighgate Society: Use your money for good – options for ethical investing
28 March | 2018 A packed audience came along to the Highgate Society on Wednesday 21st March 2018 to find out about sustainable banking and ethical investing. Oikocredit, along with our good friends Ethex, were introduced to the room as a positive investing opportunity. full storyOikocredit & the Employee Ownership Association
15 March | 2018 Oikocredit UK & Ireland is delighted to have just become members of the Employee Ownership Association (EOA). The EOA represents organisations which are employee-owned or transitioning to employee-ownership across the UK. full story“Oikocredit is a frontrunner”: getting to know our director of risk
28 February | 2018 In December 2017, Oikocredit welcomed Laura Pool as our new director of risk and member of our managing board. We spoke to Laura about risk management, her passions and why she chose Oikocredit. full storyGreen Christian Member invests with Oikocredit
27 February | 2018 Oikocredit UK & Ireland's Archie Pearson, interviews Green Christian member Anthony, on why he chooses to invest with Oikocredit and the role that social investing can play in today's world. full storyIndia summit: Putting people before profit by transforming the financial sector
22 February | 2018 Oikocredit and Maanaveeya, an Indian subsidiary of Oikocredit, in collaboration with the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) are to co-host a summit on 23 February 2018 in Hyderabad, India to highlight the opportunities for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to become small finance banks (SFBs) whilst remaining true to their social mission. The event brings together representatives from 15 financial institutions/stakeholders across India. full storyEthex: Introducing a very special brand of organic Fairtrade coffee to its investor base.
22 February | 2018 Oikocredit investee partner Coopfam helps its 450 member-farmers gain access to local, national and international markets. Women are able to play a key role in Coopfam's future by selling their own unqiue female only brand of coffee - Café Feminino. full storyCoffee for generations: Colombian coffee farmers’ perseverance and environmental care
19 February | 2018 Oikocredit partner organisation Red Ecolsierra has enabled coffee farmers in Colombia to receive fair prices and increase the quality and quantity of production despite the violence and unrest that filled the region for decades. full storyLocal presence is our strong point
08 February | 2018 Maria Koramoa heads Oikocredit's country office in Accra, Ghana's capital, and is the deputy head of Oikocredit West Africa. As a financial expert, Maria has studied economics, sociology and education in Birmingham and the Cape Coast. She is specialised in microfinance and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. During a Skype call, Maria shared some insights into her work. full storyECCR: January 2018 Newsletter
05 February | 2018 ECCR's member in focus for January is Oikocredit. Featuring Oikocredit's case study on small-holder farmers and Oikocredit & ECCR's participation at the Faith Investment Summit in Switzerland. full storyOikocredit and African Guarantee Fund sign new agreement to finance SMEs
29 January | 2018 On 25 January, Oikocredit signed a new agreement with African Guarantee Fund (AGF) to boost financing to microfinance institutions and agricultural and renewable energy SMEs in Africa. The signing... full storyA sweet deal in southern Colombia
24 January | 2018 When it comes to committing to a business, there’s no doubting sugar cane farmer Pedro Bastidas. When asked about the development of his enterprise, he casually states: “In 2005, I exchanged my house for a sugar factory.” full storyVideo: Support for women coffee growers in Brazil
12 January | 2018 Oikocredit partner Cooperativa dos Agricultores Familiares de Poço Fundo e Região (Coopfam) is a Brazilian coffee cooperative which is helping to empower women by supporting the production of a ... full story‘Banking on women’: empowering Kenyan women through microfinance
28 November | 2017 “In Africa, there is nothing as important as empowering a woman. When you empower a woman, it’s as if you are empowering the whole country. KWFT is empowering me with education, with knowledge and with money.” full storyHow women coffee farmers in Brazil are building economic independence
17 November | 2017 The Coopfam (Cooperativa dos Agricultores Familiares de Poço Fundo e Região) coffee cooperative is empowering women to produce a speciality organic coffee and improve their livelihoods full storyMicrofinance in action: Kick-starting a table football business
07 November | 2017 Oikocredit’s longstanding partnership with Banco Pyme de la Comunidad is enabling micro-entrepreneurs in Bolivia to build flourishing, sustainable businesses full storyChurch Times: Good Money Week aims to repair a broken economy
31 October | 2017 As we enter into Good Money Week, Huw Spanner from the Church Times discusses how society can create positive change and become more inclusive. Huw invites society to think about how and where they spend their money. full storyChurches Together In Britain & Ireland: Providing low-income families with clean, affordable energy
31 October | 2017 Oikocredit, a 42 year old international social investor, is helping make solar energy more accessible and affordable for some of the world's poorest communities in Africa. full storyOikocredit’s new forum for multi-stakeholder dialogue
30 October | 2017 Pastor Ueli Burkhalter is the seventh member of Oikocredit’s recently formed members' council (MC). The MC is a consultation and advisory body elected by Oikocredit’s member organisations to ... full storyOikocredit sells stake in Financiera Confianza
24 October | 2017 Social investor Oikocredit has exited Peruvian microfinance institution Financiera Confianza for an undisclosed amount. full story
“Together, we are a movement.’’ Thos Gieskes’ first months at Oikocredit [interview]
19 October | 2017 We caught up with Oikocredit’s managing director, Thos Gieskes, to hear about his first months at the global cooperative. In the interview, he talks about some of Oikocredit’s strengths and challenges along with insights from his journey in getting to know the ins and outs of the organisation. full storySocial Stock Exchange: Bringing pay-as-you go solar to those who need it most
18 October | 2017 In a world where 1.2 billion people lack access to clean, affordable and reliable energy, Oikocredit chooses to partner with renewable energy enterprises that are providing accessible and affordable energy to the world's most underserved communities. full storyScottish International Development Alliance (The Alliance): How social investing is paving the way for clean affordable solar energy
18 October | 2017 With unreliable energy from the grid and toxic, flammable dangers from kerosene lamps, Oikocredit chooses to support solar energy providers such as PEG Ghana, who instead provide clean, affordable and a reliable form of energy for many low-income communities in Africa. full storyOikocredit supports UK Good Money Week (8th-14th October)
06 October | 2017 Oikocredit alongside good friends, the Church of Scotland and ECCR, will be partnering up with UKSIF during Good Money Week to promote sustainable and ethical investing. full storyCo-operatives UK: How Pay-as-you-go solar is lighting up Ghana's micro-entrepreneurs
06 October | 2017 Pay-as-you-go solar energy is becoming more accessible and affordable for low-income communities in Africa thanks to co-operative and social investor, Oikocredit, and their partner, PEG Solar Africa. full storyEd Mayo, Secretary General of Co-ops UK talks about Oikocredit around the world
29 September | 2017 Oikocredit is an international co-operative which invests in many co-operatives, particularly agricultural, in developing countries so as to pave the way to a fairer, more just world for co-operative smallholder farmers. full storyCo-operatives UK introduce social investor, Oikocredit, to celeberate International Co-ops Day
29 September | 2017 Since 1975, social investor and co-operative Oikocredit has continued to invest in more than 800 social enterprise partners and co-operatives across the world focusing particularly on co-operative ventures which other financial institutions deem too risky, but which pay dividends in the end. full storyIn the Guardian: Oikocredit empowers excluded women with social investing
29 September | 2017 Oikocredit investee, Sekem, an Egyptian social enterprise which focuses on sustainable fair trade agriculture, education and health addresses gender inequality at its roots. full storyIn the Guardian: the devastating effects of climate change on subsistence farmers
29 September | 2017 The Philippines is the world’s 3rd highest risk area for natural disasters. Typhoons and cyclones bring excessive rain and wind, threatening the smallholdings of around 60% of the poorest groups who tend to live in rural areas. full storyIn the Guardian: the Indian tea estates being revitalised by Oikocredit investors
29 September | 2017 In northern India, thanks to the use of Oikocredit's investor capital, the Ambootia Tea Group is using impact investment to boost financial security and improve the livelihoods of its employees. full storyChurch Times and Oikocredit discuss ethical investing and what it means for philanthropists
29 September | 2017 For UKSIF Good Money Week, the Church Times gets stuck into the growing social impact investing space with Oikocredit. Where philanthropy meets investing attitudes, incorporates faith-based values to investing; and focuses on maximising social and environmental returns over and above financial returns. full storyWhat have money & faith got to do with climate change?
29 September | 2017 During annual UKSIF Good Money Week, the Church of Scotland is partnering with Oikocredit, Christian Aid, Eco-Congregation and Ethical Futures to discuss the positive impact of financial social investments on communities most impacted by climate change. full storyEthex introduce its investor base to Oikocredit, where pay-as-you-go solar lighting up the lives of Ghana’s micro-entrepreneurs
29 September | 2017 Demand for electricity in Africa is ever-growing but the grid can be unreliable. Social impact investor and co-operative, Oikocredit, invests in renewable energy providers that are helping to fill the gaps for underserved groups in low-income and developing countries. full storySocial Stock Exchange: Pay-as-you-go solar is lighting up the lives of Ghana’s micro-entrepreneurs
29 September | 2017 The pay-as-you go model makes rooftop solar technology more accessible and affordable, particularly for low-income and remote communities running roadside stalls and micro businesses. full story
Churches Together in Britain & Ireland: Poverty alleviation & affordable, clean energy
29 September | 2017 Affordable solar power could provide the answer to meeting the demand for electricity in an environmentally and socially responsible way, whilst alleviating poverty. This is why social investor, Oikocredit, founded by the WCC, invest an in clean, affordable solar energy projects which reach the most underserved groups. full storyScottish International Development Alliance (SIDA): SDGs & how ethical investing can help
29 September | 2017 Demand for electricity in Africa is ever-growing but the grid can be expensive and unreliable. Renewable energy providers such as PEG, a partner of social investor and co-operative, Oikocredit, may well be filling the gap by getting affordable, clean energy to underserved groups. full storyUK Social Stock Exchange interview with Thos Gieskes, Oikocredit International MD
29 September | 2017 Appointed in 2017, Oikocredit's international Managing Director, Thos Gieskes, gives us an insight to his first months with Oikocredit, the challenges facing development finance today, and the benefits of co-operatives. full storyThe UK Social Stock Exchange interviews Oikocredit UK & Ireland's National Director Monica Middleton
29 September | 2017 Monica Middleton, the National Director of Oikocredit UK & Ireland, describes Oikocredit's focus and explains why Oikocredit decided to become a Social Stock Exchange member. full storySupporting organic coffee growers in southern Ecuador
26 September | 2017 “Being organic is not just about paper certification - it’s a state of mind. It’s close to our hearts; farmers are choosing not to use fertilisers which damage everything,” says Miguel Mosquera as he walks alongside his coffee plants. full storyIndulge in a FAPECAFES fair trade coffee at our events across Europe
21 September | 2017 Located in the mountains of southern Ecuador, Oikocredit partner FAPECAFES is an organisation of six cooperatives seeking to improve the conditions of its farmer members by commercialising fair trade and organic coffee. full storyHow fair trade is helping smallholder coffee farmers succeed
15 September | 2017 Fair Trade USA is the leading fair trade certifying body in North America, operating globally alongside the European-based Fairtrade International. Colleen Anunu, Fair Trade USA’s Senior Manager of Supply Chain, reflects on some of fair trade’s achievements and challenges, with a focus on the coffee sector. She also explains how Fair Trade USA and Oikocredit are teaming up to reduce price risks for coffee farmers. full storyLaura Pool appointed as chief risk officer
13 September | 2017 Laura Pool will become Oikocredit’s chief risk officer on 18 December, heading the risk department and joining the managing board. full story
Oikocredit appoints Laura Pool as chief risk officer
13 September | 2017 Amersfoort, the Netherlands. Social investor Oikocredit today announced that Laura Pool is to become its chief risk officer with effect from 18 December. She will head Oikocredit’s risk department and join the managing board. full story
Oikocredit Argentina awards innovation in microfinance
31 August | 2017 Oikocredit is pleased to announce that Paola González from Programa Alumbra - Fundación Banco Macro is the winner of the Oikocredit Argentina Innovative Loan Officer award. The award was presented at the 11th annual summit on microfinance: The role of microfinance in financial inclusion held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 29 August. full storyCooperatives supporting fruit farmers in northern Patagonia
10 August | 2017 Herminio Antonio Urrutia is 61 years old and has been a member of the fruit-growers’ cooperative Primera Cooperativa Frutícola in Argentina’s northern Patagonia for over 20 years, or as he puts it: “Ever since I started my own business!” full storyMore coffee trees to fill another cup and support the smallholder farmer
26 July | 2017 Whether you’re in need of a boost or you’re just the average coffee lover, waking up to the smell of roasted beans is what often gets us through the day. Coffee is easy to enjoy, however, we often don’t realise what it takes to get this wake-up cup into our hands. full storyLeading Agricultural Lenders Deploy $682 Million to Support Small Businesses and Farmer Livelihoods Globally
19 July | 2017 Oikocredit and the 10 other members of the Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF) today announced in their newly published State of the Sector report that they provided $682 million in loans to 765 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during 2016. full story