MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Freedom from Hunger, Oikocredit to Implement Health Protection Through Microfinance Institutions in Ecuador, Peru

Freedom from Hunger, a US-based non-governmental organization that aims to alleviate poverty, and Oikocredit, a Dutch cooperative investment fund, plan to partner with six microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the Andes mountains of Ecuador and Peru to implement Freedom from Hunger’s microfinance and health protection model. Freedom from Hunger and Oikocredit have worked with the MFIs to better understand client needs and develop health packages to improve both health knowledge and access to basic health services. Each institution has developed a customized program with a variety of services such as health savings, health loans and linkages to health microinsurance and healthcare providers. The programs will be modeled after tools and resources developed by the following five MFIs over the course of a four-year pilot initiative: CRECER in Bolivia, Association pour la Promotion et l’ Appui au Développement de MicroEntreprises (PADME) in Benin, Le Reseau des Caisses Populaires du Burkina (RCPB) in Burkina Faso, Bandhan in India and CARD in the Philippines. The new health programs will begin in early 2012.

Two of the six MFIs that are launching the program are in Ecuador: Cooprogreso and Fundacion de Apoyo Comunitario y Social del Ecuador (FACES). Those in Peru are: Agencia Adventista para el Desarrollo y Recursos Asistenciales Peru (ADRA), Financiera Confianza, FINCA Peru and Microfinanzas Prisma.

At the end of 2011, Freedom from Hunger was working with a total of 150 partners reaching approximately 3.9 million women plus their families. As of year-end 2010, Oikocredit reported USD 900 million in total assets and 790 active investees, of which 596 were MFIs.

The 53 Ecuadorian MFIs that reported 2010 data to the US-based Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) held an aggregate gross loan portfolio of USD 1.7 billion disbursed to approximately 700,000 borrowers. The 65 Peruvian MFIs that reported data for the same year held an aggregate gross loan portfolio of USD 7 billion disbursed to approximately 3.3 million borrowers.

By Charlotte Newman, Research Associate

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 19 countries with the aim of alleviating hunger and poverty. Its microfinance programs service approximately 2 million families through 26 partner microfinance institutions. At the end of 2011, Freedom from Hunger was working with a total of 150 partners reaching approximately 3.9 million women plus their families.

About Oikocredit
Oikocredit is a Dutch cooperative investment fund comprised of church groups, cooperatives and individual investors. Established in 1975, it works in 70 countries, investing mainly in microfinance institutions (MFIs), as well as trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the developing world. As of year-end 2010, Oikocredit reported USD 900 million in total assets and 790 active investees, of which 596 were MFIs.

Sources and Additional Resources:

Information sent to MicroCapital by Freedom from Hunger: “Freedom from Hunger and Oikocredit Partner Link Health and Microfinance in the Andes.”

Freedom from Hunger: “Microfinance and Health Protection,” http://www.freedomfromhunger.org/programs/mahp.php

MicroCapital.org story, January 28, 2012, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microcredit Summit Campaign, Freedom from Hunger Partner on Effort to Bring Health Services to 3.7m, Program to be Piloted in India,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-microcredit-summit-campaign-freedom-from-hunger-partner-on-effort-to-bring-health-services-to-3-7m-program-to-be-piloted-in-india/

MicroCapital.org story, February 21, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Freedom from Hunger Microfinance and Health Protection (MAHP) Initiative Reaches Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia; Expands in India,” https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-freedom-from-hunger-microfinance-and-health-protection-mahp-initiative-reaches-peru-vietnam-cambodia-expands-in-india/

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