MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Mutually Reinforcing Institutions, Microcredit Summit Campaign, Freedom from Hunger Partner to Launch “Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies” in Effort to Reach 600k Filipino Women

The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), a group of organizations in the Philippines that includes CARD Bank; the Microcredit Summit Campaign, a US-based advocacy organization; and Freedom from Hunger, a US-based non-governmental organization (NGO) that offers financial and health protection services in 23 countries, launched the program “Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies,” which is expected to provide maternal health services to 600,000 Filipino women.

The program will be supported by US-based personal care products firm Johnson & Johnson and will deliver health education to women who are clients of microcredit organizations. 1,700 pregnant women that are clients of CARD MRI and other institutions have already attended a two-day health fair at which they were offered gynaecological examinations and ultrasounds.

By Simon Pfanner, Research Associate

About Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI)

The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) is a group of mutually reinforcing institutions comprised of CARD Inc., CARD Bank, CARD-MRI Development Institute and others. CARD MRI is based in San Pablo, Philippines, and has 1,600 offices in the Philippines and liaison offices in nearby countries. CARD Inc., the first CARD member, was established in 1986 as a social development foundation. As of September 2014, CARD MRI had total assets of PHP 18.7 billion (USD 416 million), a gross loan portfolio of PHP 9.3 billion (USD 207 million), total deposits of PHP 6.8 billion (USD 151 million) and 2.6 million clients.

About Microcredit Summit Campaign

The Microcredit Summit Campaign is a project that was launched in 1997 by Results Educational Fund (REF), a nonprofit advocacy group that is based in the US city of Washington, DC. The campaign’s initial mission of bringing 100 million families above USD 1.25 in daily income by 2015 changed at the 2013 Microcredit Summit entitled “Partnerships against Poverty” to the goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. The campaign also aims to bring financial and business services to 175 million people living in extreme poverty, especially women. According to the data reported to the campaign, approximately 3,700 microfinance institutions reported an outreach to approximately 204 million clients as of December 31, 2012.

About Freedom From Hunger

Freedom from Hunger is based in the US city of Davis, California. Formerly called “Meals for Millions,” it is an NGO that operates in developing countries with the aim of alleviating hunger and poverty. The organization runs “integrated microfinance programs” that offer financial, education and health protection services. Additionally, Freedom from Hunger offers adult education services for women with the aim of promoting “better health, nutrition, business and money management.” As of 2014, Freedom from Hunger works with a total of 181 partners in 23 countries and has 5.7 million clients. As of June 30, 2013, Freedom from Hunger reported total assets of USD 5.3 million.

Sources and Additional Resources

[1] Microcredit Summit News, Philippines program to provide 600,000 women with maternal health services

MicroCapital, October 30, 2014, CGAP, MasterCard Foundation Award $500k for Behavioral Research to Freedom from Hunger, IFMR, Innovations for Poverty, The MicroInsurance Centre

MicroCapital, September 13, 2014, “Integrated Health and Microfinance in India, Volume II: The Way Forward;” by Somen Saha, D.S.K. Rao; published by Microcredit Summit Campaign, Freedom from Hunger

MicroCapital, October 20, 2009, Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Inc. of the Philippines

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI)

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Microcredit Summit Campaign

MicroCapital Universe Profile: Freedom from Hunger

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