January 2012 Columbia Microfinance Brigade, Ghana

Affiliated Organization: Global Brigades USA
Group: Microfinance Brigades at Columbia University

Volunteer Activity Description
Microfinance Brigades volunteers work with a local network of community banks to empower rural communities by establishing community banks and teaching community members basic financial literacy. Volunteers provide rural communities with the educational, financial, and organizational resources necessary to sustainably drive their own economic development. By partnering with the in-country Global Brigades team, Microfinance Brigades provides the financial backing and technical support to create and strengthen independent Community Development Funds. As mechanisms for social and economic change,these funds are then empowered to perpetuate other community projects facilitated by Global Brigades.

A 10 Day Microfinance Brigade provides volunteers with the opportunity to gain first-hand micro lending experience and perpetuate the movement to alleviate poverty world-wide. Volunteers participate in real micro-lending transactions and also engage in the daily lives of the actual borrowers.Volunteers learn about microfinance by participating in seminars from local professionals, and by shadowing loan officers as they visit micro-entrepreneurs in their communities. Volunteers empower community members to reach their potential with basic educational workshops and a capital investment that the volunteer personally delivers. Each volunteer is allotted $150 from their program contribution to work with community micro entrepreneurs and banks to determine how to allocate their loan. In this way, volunteers are able to directly empower local community members to achieve their financial goals.