Notes from the President: Ladies’ Financial savings, the Dominican Republic, and Ladies’s Historical past Month

Pricey pals,

Considered one of my favourite components about being the CEO of a world microfinance community is the chance to journey the world, visiting WWB community members and observing, first-hand, the impression that entry to monetary providers can have on the lives of girls and women. I just lately had the pleasure of main a area go to to Banco ADOPEM within the Dominican Republic with 4 members of the WWB Board.

Whereas within the Dominican Republic we spoke with a number of Banco ADOPEM purchasers, each younger and outdated. Undoubtedly, the spotlight for me was spending a day with seven women, from ages eight to seventeen, who’re enrolled in Banco ADOPEM’s Mía financial savings program. Since its inception in January 2010, 10,076 Mía accounts have been opened. The ladies talked about why it is very important save, what they plan to do with their financial savings and their hopes and aspirations. I used to be struck by Stephani, who at solely 11 years  outdated, is already saving to purchase a automobile in order that she will commute to varsity to pursue her final aim of changing into a health care provider. After listening to from the women and seeing the  success of the Mía product first-hand, I’m keen to duplicate the product with different WWB community members starting with PEACE MFI S.CO in Ethiopia.

Banco ADOPEM is a mannequin monetary establishment whose mission is mirrored not solely in the way in which it treats its purchasers, but in addition in the way in which it treats its workers. Whereas within the Dominican Republic I visited a number of of Banco ADOPEM’s branches. In every of the branches I used to be in a position to meet with mortgage officers to debate their mortgage portfolios and their expertise as Banco ADOPEM workers. Every mortgage officer I spoke with felt nice delight in being a member of the Banco ADOPEM household and extoled the coaching and promotion alternatives that Banco ADOPEM gives.   

A number of years in the past Banco ADOPEM went by way of the arduous course of of fixing its authorized construction from an NGO to a completely regulated industrial financial institution. Within the years since this transformation the ADOPEM NGO has grow to be a thriving coaching heart providing monetary schooling, vocational and laptop programs. The ADOPEM NGO homes all of Banco ADOPEM’s personal worker and shopper coaching programs, however what I discovered most spectacular is ADOPEM’s function because the coach for microfinance establishments all through Latin America. ADOPEM’s management crew really feel strongly {that a} mission-focused sector that’s geared up to greatest serve its purchasers is sweet for all establishments.

Spending time with one in every of our most progressive community members was an effective way to start out 2012. With the start of March, I’m trying ahead to Ladies’s Historical past Month and, particularly, Worldwide Ladies’s Day on March 8^th. The profile of Worldwide Ladies’s Day is at an all-time excessive and I’m thrilled that WWB will likely be contributing to the celebration with a breakfast and panel dialogue. We invite you to have a good time with WWB by internet hosting your individual Worldwide Ladies’s Day occasion utilizing our “Host Your Personal” toolkit. Moreover, Inez Murray, Govt Vice President of Applications, will likely be talking on a number of panels in Europe. I hope you’ll be part of us in celebrating girls’s achievements and financial empowerment subsequent month!  

Heat regards,

Mary Ellen