Our MFI Partners
Learn more about:
SPBD Samoa I SPBD Tonga I SPBD Fiji I SPBD Solomon Islands I SPBD Vanuatu
South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) is a network of microfinance organizations working in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu dedicated to eradicating poverty by empowering women in poor rural villages with the opportunity to start, grow and maintain sustainable, income generating micro-enterprises.
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MicroDreams is a non profit and sister organization to SPBD. Your donations help fund dreams for women in the South Pacific.
SPBD Meets 2x Challenge Criteria!
Leadership
2x criteria: Do women represent 30% or more of the board?
SPBD Board: 42% women
Individual Borrowers
2x criteria: Do 50% or more of FI's portfolio specifically target female customers and does the FI design products or services tailored to women’s needs, preferences or behaviours?
SPBD Individual Borrowers: 98% women
Senior Management
2x criteria: Do women represent 30% or more of the senior management team?
SPBD Senior Management: 56% women
Employment
2x criteria: Do women make up 40% or more of the workforce AND does the FI meet one quality indicator beyond compliance?
SPBD Workforce: 65% women
Business Borrowers
2x criteria: Do 30% or more of FI’s portfolio support businesses that meet at least one of the direct criteria?
SPBD: Yes
SPBD Samoa
SPBD Microfinance (Samoa) Ltd., a Grameen Bank replication, was founded by Gregory F. Casagrande in January 2000. As the initial and flagship microfinance institution of the SPBD Network, it is often used to launch new products and pilot initiatives. SPBD works in nearly every village in Samoa and have been financially sustainable since 2007. SPBD subscribes to the Sustainable Development Goals, which set the critical challenge of halving absolute poverty in the world by 2030. We strive to do our part in Samoa and throughout the South Pacific. SPBD and its staff adhere to a set of core values that include: excellent service, creative products, strong leadership, financial sustainability, financial prudence, integrity, respect and responsibility. SPBD is currently impacting over 20,000 families (120,000 individuals) equaling 60% of the population.
SPBD is now serving 20,000 families in Samoa.
That impacts 60% of households.
SPBD Tonga
Following the success of SPBD Samoa, SPBD successfully launched its first replication in the Kingdom of Tonga in 2009. SPBD Microfinance Ltd (Tonga) is the leading provider of microenterprise development services for economically disadvantaged Tongan women. SPBD Tonga reached financial sustainability within 18 months of inception and has since disbursed US 21,000,000. SPBD Tonga will continue to expand outreach on existing island groups (Tongatapu, Vava’u, Ha’apai, 'Eua). To support this planned growth, SPBD Tonga will raise new loans and grants. SPBD Tonga currently impacts more than 8,000 individuals or 48,000 families – almost 1/2 of the population.
SPBD is now serving 11,000 families in Tonga.
That impacts 60% of households.
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SPBD Fiji
Building on success in the first two markets, SPBD expanded to Fiji. Microfinance Limited (Fiji) Ltd. was launched in November 2010 to make available the benefits of microfinance to the low-income and disadvantaged women of the Fiji Islands who constitute 35% of the population. With over 6,900 active loan clients and a portfolio outstanding of FJD 4,600,000 (approx. USD 2,200,000), SPBD is the largest MFI in Fiji. In addition over 9,000 savings accounts have been opened with total savings of over FJD 1,800,000 (about USD 850,000). SPBD provides unsecured loans (for business, home improvement, and education), training, and savings. Member microentrepreneurs will then be able to improve their earnings capacity, develop leadership skills, and better manage their businesses and finances so they can experience an improved quality of life.
SPBD is the largest microfinance institution in Fiji
serving over 9,500 households.
SPBD Solomon Islands
South Pacific Business Development Microfinance (Solomon Islands) Ltd. was incorporated in April 2012. It is the fourth entity in the SPBD network of microfinance institutions in the South Pacific. SPBD SI began operating in November 2012 and disbursed its first loans in January 2013. As of 31 December 2016, US$6,849,504 and 14,105 loans have been disbursed since inception with 7,370 savings accounts and over US$480,000 of savings. Despite the challenges presented by the Solomon Islands, many important characteristics support SPBD’s entry into and success in this market — there is a clear demand for microloans and a lack of supply of microcredit financial access providers. SPBD’s potential clients lack financial literacy relative to their Samoan, Tongan and Fijian counterparts, and SPBD's training programs will address this knowledge gap.
SPBD has disbursed over 24,000 microloans in the Solomon Islands worth over $14M USD in 7 years of operation.
SPBD Vanuatu
SPBD Microfinance (Vanuatu) Ltd. began its operation in April 2017. It is the fifth entity in the SPBD network of microfinance institutions in the South Pacific.
Since 2017, SPBD Vanuatu has disbursed more than 11,000 loans, worth over US $6 million. In the coming years, we aim to grow our reach in Vanuatu to provide more women with economic opportunities.
SPBD has disbursed more than 11,000 loans worth over $6M USD in Vanuatu.