In our April 2023 newsletter, we reveal the newest location of our My Money Tracker app, shine the spotlight on a Maganda Maker star and share the energy of one of our borrowers.

We were thrilled to see that Good Return’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Anvesha Khandelwal Punjani's, piece on innovation in Indonesia’s chilli sector was published by Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs - ANDE especially to mark the important date of IWD 2023!

With the theme for IWD being ‘Innovation and technology for gender equality’ the piece is extremely timely.

Co-authored by Tiurma Veronica Siregar and Alexandra Birch, this piece explores the following contradiction: that despite women being crucial to the large and profitable chilli sector in Indonesia, they are rarely recognised as a formal part of the economy. This exclusion means they cannot benefit from financial independence, owning their own land or growing their own businesses.

The piece draws upon a recent report published by Good Return and partner CROWDE, with support from DFAT that identifies a complex web of social and legal barriers that limit the active participation of women in Indonesia’s economy.

With International Women’s Day marking a crucial date on our calendar at Good Return, there is no better time to celebrate the inspiring women we work with at Good Return. In this blog, Tou Chandara and Lim Arunremfa take a moment to highlight one of our learners, Chantha, and hear more about how Good Return’s financial education program has assisted her to better manage her business, living situation and gain new knowledge about budget planning, saving, and proper spending.

We were thrilled to see Good Return published in Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs - ANDE in a timely piece that explores the economic and social situation for communities in the Mount Everest region of Nepal this winter.

Good Return’s Hannah McNicol, Mimu Raghubanshi and Mochan Bhattarai urged our network to reflect on our regional neighbours in Nepal this festive period and highlight three complex issues underpinning the current economic situation including financial literacy, gendered barriers to women’s economic empowerment and lack of access to capital.

How do you measure changes in women’s economic empowerment?

How do you monitor a woman’s confidence to start a business or her financial capability?

These are just a few of the fascinating questions we ask Anvesha Khandelwal Punjani, Good Return’s Impact and Effectiveness Manager, in our latest blog. Together with Anvesha we explore the importance of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) in international development.

Looking for an inspiring story about pioneering Indigenous business women in the Kimberley making their mark?

Meet Jaala Ozies. Jaala is the proud owner of two businesses: the very first barbershop in Derby ‘Walyara Barbershop’ and Kimberley Youth Mentoring.

In our latest blog, learn about Jaala’s passion for youth mentoring, focus on giving back to the community around her and her role as a champion of Indigenous women-led businesses alongside the Maganda Makers Business Club and Kimberley Jiyigas.

We chat to Sanjay Ramanathan from Accenture who has been a friend of Good Return for a number of years now. Sanjay was responsible for developing Good Return’s first ‘My Money Tracker’ application - a mobile app that assists Cambodian micro-entrepeneurs to track their money and build their personal or business savings.

Following the success of the Cambodian My Money Tracker app, we are thrilled that Sanjay is now back to help Good Return by expanding the ‘My Money Tracker’ project to the Philippines!

What better way to celebrate Indigenous Business Month than hearing stories of flourishing 100% Indigenous owned and women-led businesses from the Kimberley?

In our latest blog, meet Ali and Mitch Torres. Ali and Mitch are sisters and draw their heritage from the Saltwater to the River and Desert Country of the West Kimberley. This unstoppable duo are proud owners of ‘Mijinalii’ - a candle, soap and body products business that uses native ingredients and centres around the 6 seasons of the Kimberley. Learn how the sisters worked with Kimberley Jiyigas and MMBC to build their business and source capital opportunities.

Inspired by the recent UN World Humanitarian Day, in our latest blog, we speak to Helen Sherpa and Mimu Raghubanshi (Nepal Country Coordinator at Good Return) - financial capability experts working on-the-ground in Nepal.

We learn how financial capability training played a vital role during the pandemic, assisting portering families in the Solukhumbu District of Nepal to adapt to changing livelihoods and learn new business skills in the face of emergency.

‘I believe my values align well with that of Good Return’s values, specifically making a positive difference, empowering women, alleviating poverty and service to others’ - Leata Alaimoana-Roberts.

In our latest blog update we get to know Leata Alaimoana-Roberts, Non-Executive Director at Good Return and Impact Investment Manager with Pacific Trade Invest Australia.

In our latest blog, we reflect on how local women-led savings groups in the Solomon Islands are flourishing with extra financial literacy training and support through Good Return’s CAFE (Consumer Awareness and Financial Empowerment) programs in partnership with the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI).

A common thread throughout the Good Return team is a commitment to social justice. This could not be truer in the case of Olin Thakur, Good Return’s Programme Manager for the CAFE (Consumer Awareness and Financial Empowerment) Initiative.

Good Return's passionate Programs Team are located across the Asia-Pacific, but perhaps none are more remote than Maree Cutler-Naroba. Manager of our Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs program, Maree works from Kununuura, a township in the Kimberley Region 1000km from the nearest city.

‘According to the ILO, if we bridge the gaps for rural women and allow them to formally participate in the agricultural economy the global GDP could be increased by US $5.8 trillion’.
Good Return’s latest blog explores the often over-looked role that women play in value chains around the world and how Good Return and partners are working to address economic exclusion at every stage of the value chain.

‘As an entrepreneur myself and having worked in Cambodia, I have witnessed the way small businesses can help communities and economies thrive if they are properly supported through financial inclusion’.
In our latest blog update we take the opportunity to get to know one of Good Return’s fantastic Non-Executive Directors, Helene Ang.

We are extremely grateful to have received an important on-the-ground update from Geogina Paongo, Tonga Program Coordinator at Good Return. Geogina has witnessed first hand how financial training, savings and money management skills are essential for women to recover from disasters in the context of disaster recovery and preparedness.

One of the core themes for International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreaktheBias. Biases can be both conscious and unconscious and Good Return works to break down both within the financial sector, so women can succeed in business.

Meet Dr Sara Saeed Khurram, who is featured in our podcast series on gender lens investing. Dr Sara overcame to starting up a business to successfully launch a telemedicine smartphone application for low income patients.