Stop poverty with inclusion
People left out of the financial system face poverty – let’s bring them in
People in our region are vulnerable to poverty
While the Asia-Pacific region has seen rapid poverty reduction, millions continue to live near to or under the poverty line. Disparity has been further heightened by slow recovery following the pandemic and the impact of climate change.
A major cause of poverty is financial exclusion
Some of our closest neighbours have the highest ‘unbanked’ rates in the world - in the Solomon Islands for example, only 25% of the population have a bank account (UNCDF). The numbers are even lower for women.
When people are ‘unbanked’ or left out of the financial system they do not have a safe way to save money. It is hard for families to prepare for unexpected life events, such as changing weather damaging crops or a provider losing their job. Business owners cannot borrow to build their livelihoods and might make risky decisions, such as selling crops at a low price for urgent cash.
Let’s bring them in
Bringing people in to the financial system builds opportunity and resilient livelihoods. At Good Return, we build financial inclusion in three powerful ways:
We work with responsible financial institutions in our region to help entrepreneurs access responsible loans. We help them to take on clients who might lack the paperwork or collateral required to borrow money.
Our training program CAFE builds financial skills for women and their families. Learners become confident in managing their money, saving and budgeting and knowing their rights when talking to banks.
We train staff in banks and financial institutions in social inclusion and gender equality. Working from within, we’re changing mindsets and policies so more people can be included in their services.
