As new natural and economic disasters arise year after year, resilience and preparedness become increasingly important. With every new threat, families around the world mull over the same considerations: How would we receive warnings in the event of an emergency? How would we obtain our daily medications? Just as we …
Entrepreneurship in Nepal through the Microfranchise Approach
Kalpavriksha is one of the newest social enterprise partners in our Asia/Pacific portfolio. Kalpavriksha belongs to Pollinate Group and its sister organization, Asha Kiran, operates in India. Whole Planet Foundation (WPF) typically supports organizations who use financing as a means of supporting entrepreneurship for low income communities. Kalpavriksha’s program adds …
Coronavirus is the Latest Dire Challenge Facing Poor Entrepreneurs in Ghana
ID Ghana is helping build strong foundations to help them weather tough times. This is a photo of a loan group called Unity Group made up of microentrepreneurs in the poor, northern Accra suburb of Pokuase served by Whole Planet Foundation’s Ghanaian microfinance partner ID Ghana. I visited this group …
Human Resilience, Microfinance, and the Evolution of Potatoes
J.P. Kloninger is the Programs Manager for Whole Foods Market Team Member Giving and Whole Planet Foundation’s North America microfinance portfolio. He previously served as Program Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, and as Administrator of Finance and Business Analysis. A native Californian who grew up in Costa Rica, J.P. …
Whole Planet Foundation and Microfinance Partners Respond to the COVID-19 Crisis
A message from Whole Planet Foundation’s Global Programs Director, Daniel Zoltani Daniel has supported the Foundation’s mission since 2008, has lived in six countries around the world since then, and is now based in Austin, TX. He leads Whole Planet Foundation’s team of Field Directors, based around the world, as …
Field Officer Award for Asia and the Pacific: Highlights from Vietnam
At the end of 2019, WPF invited all partners in the Asia/Pacific region to participate in the field officer appreciation award. After a WPF community vote, there are five grand prize winners and twelve honorable mentions. You’ll notice that all three of WPF’s partners in Vietnam received the top recognition! This …
Financial Inclusion for What? Celebrating Financial Inclusion Week with a profile of CASHPOR
During this year’s Financial Inclusion Week, Accion’s Center for Financial Inclusion asks, “Financial Inclusion for What?” In other words, what are the main goals that financial inclusion is striving to achieve? Whole Planet Foundation (WPF) has been a unique capital provider in the financial inclusion space for almost 15 years. …
Broadening Financial Inclusion Borders in Bangladesh
Spotlight on WPF’s Bold, New Partnerships According to Women’s World Banking, “Women in Bangladesh have the highest-ever rates of literacy and employment, and the country’s economy is growing. Financial inclusion now stands at more than 50 percent, nearly doubling in the past few years. But the financial inclusion gender gap …
Babban Gona Partnership Funds Farmers in Rural Nigeria
In Nigeria, where Whole Foods Market sources ginger, Whole Planet Foundation offers scale capital to the agriculture social enterprise Babban Gona. Babban Gona is working to make rural farming profitable for smallholder farmers in northern Nigeria. Their founder, Kola Masha, started the business to engage young Nigerians that have increasingly …
Ultra-Poor Graduation Partnership to Reach 4000 in Burundi
Whole Planet Foundation was founded to reach people living in poverty around the globe where Whole Foods Market sources products. We are excited to announce our new partnership with Concern Worldwide in Burundi to support their Terintambwe program, which provides case management services to ultra-poor households so they have opportunities …