Our Impact
Good Return works within systems to create real change.
With more than 20 years’ experience as social finance innovators, we understand how to build meaningful partnerships, create robust programs and monitor and measure the results of our work.
Real results
Good Return programs create real, measurable change in the lives of people in the Asia-Pacific
Our microloans have funded 11,000 women in small business, benefiting 40,000 people from their communities.
Our financial education programs have given 50,800 low income people new skills in savings management and family finance planning.
Our Impact Investment Fund has funded 433 SMEs with AUD$3.75m, creating or sustaining 3400 jobs in the chilli, maize, rice, and aquaculture sectors in Indonesia and Cambodia.
Where we work
We focus on countries where there continues to be high numbers of ‘unbanked’ people, and a need for greater financial inclusion and support. We have chosen our local partners for their expertise and social goals, and have developed programs shaped to the local context and needs.
Australia
With local partners, we are learning about the unique place of business in Indigenous cultures, and building business opportunity for Indigenous women.
Cambodia
We partner with Chamroeun Microfinance to provide microloans and training to local entrepreneurs, and recently extended this work to people with a disability. Our partnership with the National Bank of Cambodia has launched the ‘Let’s talk money’ campaign, an innovative financial literacy program focused on women working in low income industries. We also have local not-for-profit, union and community partners delivering our financial capability training.
Indonesia
The focus in Indonesia is building skills and access to finance for rural communities. Our partner CROWDE is a fintech company, harnessing new digital technologies to strengthen the position of women and marginalised groups in agricultural value chains. Through CROWDE, we offer microloans, business training and impact investments to SMEs.
Nepal
Our CAFE financial capability classes have helped many marginalised communities across the country, even in some of the most remote areas. Many go on to do our business training to build specialist skills in farming and other sectors. We also work to build the skills of financial institutions, and provide a partial loss indemnity so they can meet the needs of low income communities. New partnerships with fintechs will make use of digital technology to build skills and access to markets for farming entrepreneurs.
Philippines
We work with the Saint Elizabeth Community Development program to provide microloans to women entrepreneurs on the islands of Panay and Guimaras. We are working on a My Money Tracker app to help micro entrepreneurs manage their finances and budgets.
Fiji
Our focus is building access to finance and skills for women-led business, especially in farming where there is big potential for growth. To do this we have partnered with Merchant Finance through our Impact Investment fund, and will soon start financial capability training with the Pacific Islands Farmer Organisation Network.
Tonga
In Tonga we run financial capability coaching for families in agriculture and rural communities, thanks to our partnerships with GroFed Tonga and Wesleyan Church Women’s Groups. We hope to bring microloans to Tonga soon to support women in business.
Solomon Islands
By partnering with the Central Bank, we are able to reach many women and communities with our financial capability training. We are also due to launch our microfinance program to assist entrepreneurs in building business and livelihoods.
Papua New Guinea
Our new program manager started here in 2022 and will work with local partners to deliver CAFE financial capability coaching and to provide microloans for women-owned micro and small businesses.
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