The Good Update - April 2025
The Good Return strategy planning meeting in Cambodia
Dear Good Return Supporters,
It's not an easy time for many organisations working in international development. At a recent industry gathering, Daniel Wordsworth, CEO of World Vision, labelled the current state as "the world's largest humanitarian disaster in history". He was referring to the scale of issues around the world, which has now been compacted by dramatically reduced aid budgets - all at a time of major conflicts and climate change.
Good Return's programs remain steady and we continue to work with the Australian government to achieve regional development goals. We were pleased to see in the recent budget the Australian Government committing to maintaining its aid budget at just over $5 billion in the next financial year. I know our focus on resilience - helping women and their families plan their budgets, build businesses, save for unexpected events - is one of the most vital things we can do at the moment.
In this current world, socially minded investors, donors and supporters are leading the way. We're invite investors and donors to join our Impact Investment Fund 2 - a tangible way to make a real different in the lives of people in our region. As tax time gets closer, it's also the right time to choose to donate to Good Return if you are a PAF or philanthropic funder.
Shane Nichols, CEO
Good Return's Fund recognised with impact investment award win
(Left to right): Stuart Thompson from the Good Business Foundation (Fund investor), Judy Foster, Diana Tjoeng and Shane Nichols from Good Return, Rebecca Parkinson from DFAT.
Good Return was thrilled to win at the Australian Impact Investment Awards 2025, in the Emerging Markets Impact Investment of the Year category. The award solidifies the the success of our first blended finance fund, which has enabled loans of over $5 million to more than 600 women entrepreneurs across Asia Pacific.
We’ve launched our second Impact Investment Fund to support even more entrepreneurs across the Asia-Pacific region. The Fund operates by holding investor capital in an Australian bank account, which serves as a guarantee for local financial service providers in our region. This guarantee encourages banks to lend to women who are often excluded from the formal financial system due to lack of collateral or gender bias. By reducing the risk for lenders, we make it possible for more women to access the loans they need to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods. Additionally, donations to the Fund help us train banking staff to adopt more gender-inclusive practices and better serve women clients.
Stitching a a stronger future
In a busy garment factory in Cambodia, a group of women are not just putting their vulnerable pasts behind them - they are setting themselves up for a more financially secure future.
Good Return collaborates with fellow for-purpose organisation, Avodah Global, a sustainable and ethical clothing factory in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This inspiring garment factory employs vulnerable women, providing them with safe and supportive employment, valuable vocational skills, and important life skills training. Their mantra is to “Educate - Employ - Empower”.
As part of Avodah’s upskilling program, Good Return delivers our multi-week money management and financial knowledge coaching program. In addition, we have equipped Avodah’s leaders with the tools and expertise to continue training the garment factory workers, and to regularly mentor the women on their long-term career and financial goals. Before joining Avodah, many of the employees were living in poverty, some were at risk of human trafficking, and others were actual sex trafficking survivors - an issue that Cambodia faces with urgency, being one of the leading countries in Asia for trafficking.
Co-Founders of Avodah Global, Liz Henderson and Karine Emanouel, shared “working with Good Return has been fantastic for our team. We are passionate about equipping our employees with essential life skills to help them reach their personal and professional potential.”
Through this partnership we are not just providing skills, we are helping transform lives.
A trio of trailblazers: women leading the way in building businesses
The team at Good Return are lucky to meet inspiring women in business every day. Here are three women using resources and know-how to build their ventures for their livelihoods and sharing with others:
Voucheang Loa stands proudly in her farm in Battambang, Cambodia. With a loan from Good Return’s local partner—backed by our Fund—she built a greenhouse that shields her seedlings from the changing climate. But this investment did more than strengthen her harvest; it empowered her with the confidence to secure a better future for her children, ensuring they can continue their education.
Sereana, an innovative entrepreneur from Fiji has invented a faster and less labour intensive way of de-husking coconuts for her business producing coconut oil products. Sereana is part of the Vakabalea Women’s Agri Co-operative, empowering women farmers by providing them with the necessary resources, skills and opportunities to participate in and promote sustainable agricultural activities.
Melisa Anderson is a proud Nywaigi and Gumulaig Woman from Gurrumbilbarra (Townsville), in North Queensland. Melisa runs BLAQ DIAMONDS, a First Nations women empowerment business dedicated to supporting women who have survived family and domestic violence. Melisa is also an ambassador for Future Weavers, our collaborative Indigenous women’s entrepreneurship movement, and recently visited Arnhem Land to meet with local venturers.
Welcome to our newest Board member Rebelle Moriarty
During her years of experience in senior HR positions and corporate governance, Rebelle has been driven by her passion for creating change in an often difficult business environment. She has spent part of her career working across the Asia region which has given her an appreciation of the intricacies between countries, and that it can never be a “one size fits all” approach. Through her work as a people leader, she has supported women’s careers and economic empowerment, and has been especially interested to talk with younger women about taking control of their finances so they could benefit in the future.
This understanding of the power of financial inclusion and the issues faced in the countries where we work, makes Rebelle an amazing fit for Good Return. Rebelle shared “Since I started volunteering and working with not-for-profit Boards 5 years ago, I have been fueled to connect with organisations that create long-lasting impact and change for the communities they serve. Good Return has a long history of creating impact, and I'm excited to be able to now contribute to supporting our programs and beneficiaries as we build on that rich history".