In honor of Philippines Independence Day on June 12, this blog will provide some foundational history of the Philippines. The history of the Philippines is incredibly dense and unique. People have lived in the present-day Philippines for over 30,000 years with the first inhabitants crossing overland bridges from mainland Asia.…...
COVID-19 and the Developing World
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted major inequalities in standards of living and access to medical care between the global north and global south. The countries Wisconsin Microfinance operates in, Haiti and the Philippines, have had incredible struggles in fighting both the medical and economic costs of the COVID-19 pandemic. These…...
Changing Access to Capital
Wisconsin Microfinance is dedicated to providing access to capital for marginalized communities in Haiti and the Philippines. Access to capital in the developing world is often limited to those with wealth that live in cities. The poor lack of both previous borrowing experience and collateral, and the money that may…...
Current Events in Haiti
Wisconsin Microfinance has an incredibly special relationship with the country of Haiti. After the earthquake in 2010, we developed a program that made small loans to people who lost their businesses and livelihoods. During a visit to the country in 2011, it became clear that Haiti has an extremely interesting…...
Wisconsin Microfinance and Sustainable Development
What is sustainable development? According to the UN’s Brundtland Commission, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” What are the sustainability development goals? In 2015, under the direction of the United Nations (UN), world…...