{"id":49636,"date":"2023-11-20T14:06:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T19:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging24.finca.org\/uncategorized-en-gb\/forty-years-and-counting"},"modified":"2024-03-01T10:05:18","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T15:05:18","slug":"forty-years-and-counting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-gb\/forty-years-and-counting","title":{"rendered":"Forty Years and Counting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 1984, FINCA\u2019s founders submitted the paperwork to incorporate the organization. In 1985, FINCA made its first loan. Beginning in 2024, we\u2019ll celebrate 40 years of incredible impact on the world\u2019s poor\u2014and double down on our mission to end poverty throughout the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We recently sat down with FINCA\u2019s Global CEO, Andr\u00e9e Simon<\/a>. She gave us her take on FINCA\u2019s future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FINCA News<\/span><\/strong>: What are FINCA\u2019s biggest \u201cwins\u201d from its first forty years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andr\u00e9e<\/span><\/strong>: At the big picture level, we proved that people \u2013 especially women<\/a> \u2013 living on the margins of society in some of the world\u2019s poorest countries can build better lives for themselves and their families when given the economic opportunity. We\u2019ve provided financial services<\/a> to millions of people and touched tens of millions of lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zooming in, I could tell you countless stories about the lives we\u2019ve touched. Women like Amina Nanyobi in Uganda, whose small business selling fruits and vegetables wasn\u2019t generating income to feed her family and send them to school. With her first FINCA loan, Aminah started a more lucrative milk business Now her children attend school. And her family eats regular meals. That\u2019s what makes me motivated to work hard every day. When we strengthen FINCA, we can provide opportunities for more people like Amina. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FINCA News<\/span><\/strong>: Why is focusing on women so important?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andr\u00e9e<\/span><\/strong>: There are many reasons, but here are the top two. First, the statistics show that women who run successful small businesses are more likely to use the profits to invest in their communities, whether that\u2019s through children\u2019s education or creating jobs. Second, women tend to be underserved<\/a> by financial services. They don\u2019t have the same opportunities to fully participate in the economy and society, and it\u2019s FINCA\u2019s responsibility to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Andree