two women farmers in their field

An Examination of Philanthropy, Bias, and Local-Led Initiatives for Development

Zoe SoMicrocredit, Microfinance Partners, Sub-Saharan Africa

There are some deep biases embedded in philanthropy and aid. These biases favor channeling resources to international and expat-led companies over local organizations. Some startling numbers which illustrate this trend include: “Less than 2% of all humanitarian funding goes directly to local NGOs, despite them taking the lion’s share of …

Last-Mile Investment in Malawi: An Interview with GGEM Farming’s Ko Chijota

Zoe SoField Team Blogs, Foundation News, Microfinance Partners, Sub-Saharan Africa

The Whole Planet Foundation team is excited to introduce our new partnership with GGEM Farming, a young social enterprise operating out of Nkhotakota, on the shores of Lake Malawi. GGEM Farming is the first partner we are engaging under a new initiative to make our funding more accessible to early …

Giving Thanks: Field Officer Award for Africa and the Middle East

Whole Planet FoundationField Officer Awards, Sub-Saharan Africa, The Middle East and North Africa

Unlike at traditional banks, portfolio managers for microfinance institutions need to travel daily to villages and often the homes of their clients as a key part of building a bond with the entrepreneurs they want to ensure succeed with the loans they take from WPF’s partners. This means long days …

Support for Savings: How Microfinance Partners add Value to their Clients

Whole Planet FoundationAsia and the Pacific, Field Team Blogs, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa

Whole Planet Foundation’s funds are provided to our partner microfinance institutions (MFIs) to be distributed to borrowers as microloans or in-kind productive assets (like cows, sewing machines, or solar lamps). For most of our partners, the loan is given in a “credit-plus” context. This means that the MFI would provide …

New Mobile Phone Services Empower Rural Businesses in Cote D’Ivoire

Brian DoeField Team Blogs, Sub-Saharan Africa, Travel

Last month I went Cote D’Ivoire to visit WPF long-time microfinance partner PAMF, who administers group microloans to rural entrepreneurs and farmers. This visit allowed me to observe the initial roll-out of a new mobile phone-based platform that WPF provided grant funding to help build. The platform will allow anyone …

Babban Gona Partnership Funds Farmers in Rural Nigeria

Brian DoeField Team Blogs, Microcredit, Microfinance Partners, Sub-Saharan Africa

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

Zoe SoField Team Blogs, Microcredit, Microfinance Partners, News, Sub-Saharan Africa

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 …

Introducing Bidhaa Sasa, WPF’s Newest Partner in Kenya

Zoe SoField Team Blogs, Sub-Saharan Africa, Uncategorized

We’re excited to introduce Bidhaa Sasa, Whole Planet Foundation’s newest partner in Kenya. Bidhaa Sasa sells, delivers, and finances beneficial products to low income populations in rural areas. Our team likes their client-centric approach to affordable credit, responsive customer service, and attention to internal systems. Bidhaa Sasa means “Products now!” …

Cash Shortages Create Problems in Zimbabwe

Zoe SoField Team Blogs, Microcredit, Microfinance Partners, Sub-Saharan Africa, Travel

A few months ago, I visited WPF partner Thrive Zimbabwe with Daniel Zoltani, Whole Planet Foundation’s Global Director of Programs. We met many micro-entrepreneurs who had taken loans from Thrive for their small businesses. Some grew mushrooms to sell in the market and to stores. Others traveled to South Africa …