Global Brigades USA

Microfinance Brigades at Ohio State University

Microfinance Brigade volunteers work with community bank loan officers to consult potential borrowers on improving financial sustainability through a 7 day Microfinance Brigade in Honduras. Student volunteers can either join an existing Microfinance Brigades chapter on their campus or create their own chapter and recruit other volunteers. Volunteers provide rural communities with the educational, financial, and organizational resources necessary to sustainably drive their own economic development. By partnering with other international organizations in microfinance, Microfinance Brigades provides the financial backing and technical support to create and strengthen independent community banks.

1 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Pace University

Volunteers on a Microfinance Brigade spend seven days in a rural community of Honduras. Prior to the brigade, GB staff trains community leaders who act as the executive board members of the community bank called the Caja Rural. Throughout the brigade, volunteers divide into groups where they visit several families in their homes. During the community visits, volunteers develop an understanding of the families’ ways of life, aspirations, and financial literacy. Following the visits, the students hold a community meeting about the Caja Rural focused on topics such as budgeting, savings incentives programs, and loans. At the end of week, students determine how they will allocate their CIF(community investment fund), whether it may be to an individual family or a lump sum donated to the Caja. One of the major advantages of the GB microfinance model is that the Cajas Rurales are entirely owned and operated by the communities. Therefore, all of the community members have the opportunity to benefit collectively, and the students work directly with individuals empowering them to become more financially stable and establish economic growth within their communities.

0 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Portland State University

Volunteers on a Microfinance Brigade spend seven days in a rural community of Honduras. Prior to the brigade, GB staff trains community leaders who act as the executive board members of the community bank called the Caja Rural. Throughout the brigade, volunteers divide into groups where they visit several families in their homes. During the community visits, volunteers develop an understanding of the families’ ways of life, aspirations, and financial literacy. Following the visits, the students hold a community meeting about the Caja Rural focused on topics such as budgeting, savings incentives programs, and loans. At the end of week, students determine how they will allocate their CIF(community investment fund), whether it may be to an individual family or a lump sum donated to the Caja. One of the major advantages of the GB microfinance model is that the Cajas Rurales are entirely owned and operated by the communities. Therefore, all of the community members have the opportunity to benefit collectively, and the students work directly with individuals empowering them to become more financially stable and establish economic growth within their communities

1 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Project APEX

Microfinance Brigade volunteers work with community bank loan officers to consult potential borrowers on improving financial sustainability through a 7 day Microfinance Brigade in Honduras. Student volunteers can either join an existing Microfinance Brigades chapter on their campus or create their own chapter and recruit other volunteers. Volunteers provide rural communities with the educational, financial, and organizational resources necessary to sustainably drive their own economic development. By partnering with other international organizations in microfinance, Microfinance Brigades provides the financial backing and technical support to create and strengthen independent community banks.

1 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Soka University

Soka is a chapter of Global Brigades, the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. The Soka chapter systematically works with more than 300 other university groups around the world to deliver and implement one of nine skill-based programs that benefit more than 130,000 Honduran and Panamanian community members annually. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients (in our case those in poverty), including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services. During the course of this trip we will empower communities and help low income villagers in Honduras with opportunities to obtain low interest loans to invest in their farms.

0 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Texas A&M University

Microfinance Brigades at Texas A&M is a chapter of Global Brigades, the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. The TAMU chapter systematically works with more than 300 other university groups around the world to deliver and implement one of nine skill-based programs that benefit more than 130,000 Honduran and Panamanian community members annually. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients (in our case those in poverty), including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services. During the course of this trip we will empower communities and help low income villagers in Honduras with opportunities to obtain low interest loans to invest in their farms.

4 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at Tulane University Law School

Global Brigades is the world’s largest student-led health and sustainable development organization with varied membership that spans North American and European universities. Through Global Brigades, student and professional volunteers empower communities in developing countries with sustainable solutions that improve quality of life and environment, while respecting local culture. Since 2004, more than 30,000 volunteers from over 800 university clubs have traveled to provide health and economic development solutions to more than 600,000 beneficiaries in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana.

2 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at UC Santa Cruz

Microfinance Brigades at UC Santa Cruz is a chapter of Global Brigades, the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. The UCSC chapter systematically works with more than 300 other university groups around the world to deliver and implement one of nine skill-based programs that benefit more than 130,000 Honduran and Panamanian community members annually. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients (in our case those in poverty), including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services. During the course of this trip we will empower communities and help low income villagers in Honduras with opportunities to obtain low interest loans to invest in their farms.

9 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at UCSD

Volunteers on a Microfinance Brigade spend seven days in a rural community of Honduras. Prior to the brigade, GB staff trains community leaders who act as the executive board members of the community bank called the Caja Rural. Throughout the brigade, volunteers divide into groups where they visit several families in their homes. During the community visits, volunteers develop an understanding of the families’ ways of life, aspirations, and financial literacy. Following the visits, the students hold a community meeting about the Caja Rural focused on topics such as budgeting, savings incentives programs, and loans. At the end of week, students determine how they will allocate their CIF(community investment fund), whether it may be to an individual family or a lump sum donated to the Caja. One of the major advantages of the GB microfinance model is that the Cajas Rurales are entirely owned and operated by the communities. Therefore, all of the community members have the opportunity to benefit collectively, and the students work directly with individuals empowering them to become more financially stable and establish economic growth within their communities.

0 Members of this chapter

Microfinance Brigades at University of Oklahoma

Microfinance Brigades is a discipline of Global Brigades, the world's largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. The OU chapter systematically works with more than 300 other university groups around the world to deliver and implement one of nine skill-based programs that benefit more than 130,000 Honduran and Panamanian community members annually. Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients, including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services. During the course of this trip we will empower communities and help low income villagers in Honduras with opportunities to obtain low interest loans to invest in their farms or alternative income generating opportunities.

0 Members of this chapter