Author: cgarber

TecAp Technical Coordinator Hermogenes Zelaya presented at a regional microfinance conference on Tuesday June 25 in Panajachel, Guatemala. The conference was hosted by Red Katalysis, a network of 22 microfinance institutions throughout Central America. This was the first international event attended by TecAp and proved to be an extremely valuable tool for sharing the knowledge and experience that has been gained through the TecAp microfranchise. Zelaya shared about a pilot project TecAp has recently undertaken in Yali, Nicaragua. This pilot project is run in conjunction with the Nicaraguan microfinance institution FUNDENUSE and features a new “green” microloan product. This new loan product allows TecAp microfranchisees to purchase a stock of solar-powered products. They then sell those products in their community and use the revenue to repay their loan and purchase additional stock. This innovative loan product has many benefits for the microfranchisee, her family, and her customers. Click here to learn more about the benefits of renewable energy for rural families in Nicaragua.

There are still more questions than answers surrounding the [social entreprenuership] field — from how to start and how to balance a for-profit business model with social cause to how to measure impact. The very nature of entrepreneurship means seeking to solve a yet unanswered question and navigating uncertainty along the way. Panelists sought to answer a few of these questions during a breakout session focused on social entrepreneurship sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation at the Devex Career Fair in Nairobi. “It sounds great: start a business, save the world,” said C.D. Glin, associate director of the Africa Regional Office for The Rockefeller Foundation. “This is the kind of language we hear, but how about rubber-meeting-the-road reality?” Read more…“