Stories About Microfinance
Rwanda: An Unexpected Return on Investment
Neighbors who barely talked joined a CRS savings group, and found they enjoy each other's company as much as the loans. »»
Guatemalans Make A Future By Saving for It
In Guatemala's western highlands, a group of HIV patients learns survival skills under a newly introduced microfinance model. »»
Witness to History, Compassion, Healing
After 26 years with CRS, Walter Blake shares memories and lessons learned in the field. »»
Hispanic Heritage Month: Raising Awareness
The Catholic Church and CRS have witnessed important advances in Latin America and continue to serve the needs of its poorest communities. »»
Gambian Women Take Up Fight Against Malaria
In The Gambia, 18 women formed a group to save money. They soon began saving their community from malaria. »»
Savings Plans the Poor Can Bank On
Community-led savings and lending groups are helping East Africans lift themselves out of poverty penny by penny. »»
Microfinance Helps Others Help Themselves
Microfinance programs offer ways for even the poorest families to save money, access loans and improve their lives. »»
The Year in Photos: A Look Back at 2008
It's been a year of great milestones in helping the world's poor. Our donors make our work possible, often from the wooden pews of their parishes. »»
Tortilla Business Builds On Microfinance Loan
A small loan from the EnComun de la Frontera microfinance project helps a Mexican family's tortilla business flourish. »»
Sesame Empowers Women, Lifts Village Life
Nigerien woman bring wealth and stability to their communities with sesame seed production. »»
Saplings of Hope
Growing a small kitchen garden helped change Nirmala's life. She now earns a steady income and no longer worries about going hungry. »»
Journeying to the Frontiers of Justice
Teachers from Catholic high schools use the summer break to explore education and social justice in West Africa. »»
From Debt to Success in Egypt
With help from CRS' small-loan program, a destitute widow started a business—and turned her life around. »»
A Dream Comes True
Microfinance projects outside of Burundi's capital create income for people like Jeanne Uwimana. "I have finally found a way to realize my dream." »»
Little By Little, Life Gets Better Every Day
With the help of training and a loan, a widow and her son established a small business and escaped the grip of extreme poverty in Guatemala. »»
More Cash, Less Garbage
Marguerite Nyandwi spent precious years digging through garbage for items to sell. A CRS-supported savings program was her path to a better life. »»
2007 Year in Photos
Our year-end roundup salutes the work of our dedicated staff and beneficiaries, whose resiliency rises above the most challenging circumstances. »»
Microfinance in Mali
Visit our sisters and brothers in Mali and learn how a CRS microfinance project is helping people improve their livelihoods. »»
Farmers Break Cycle of Poverty
Agricultural assistance, market connections, and support for savings and loans are enabling thousands of Tanzanian farmers to improve quality of life. »»
A Life Less Ordinary
Former Masai cattle herder Daniel Laiser brings a unique perspective to his community-based mircofinance work with CRS Tanzania. »»
A Small Start Leads to Great Returns
CRS Burkina Faso teaches women strategies on collective saving and how best to use small loans distributed as part of it's microfinance program. »»
Parish Social Ministries Director Visits Tanzania
Scott Cooper, director of parish social ministries for Catholic Charities in Spokane Washington recently traveled to Tanzania with CRS. »»
More Than A Title
In the village of Chirwa, Niger, Ruga Ibrahim is known simply as Kungiya Mata — the leader of women. »»
A Little Goes A Long Way
In northern Uganda, millions have been forced to leave their homes behind and are trying to make new lives for themselves with a little help from CRS. »»
Simple Gifts
When Deborah Stein visited a group of soap makers in Sierra Leone, she didn't anticipate the effect of one simple, precious gift. »»
Strengthening Community Banks in Cotopaxi
CRS is working with the Cotopaxi province to provide high quality, efficient and sustainable financial services to the poor. »»
Mikra - Microcredit for Women
With the help of the MIKRA microfinance project, women like Stoja feel secure about their ability to provide for their futures. »»
A World of Opportunities
Through USTOI, Catholic Relief Services is supporting small-business development by offering financial services to micro-entrepreneurs. »»
Meet Father Patricio Lopez From the Diocese of Ambato
The Diocese of Ambato and CRS work together to implement health and credit projects, and to carry out emergency response and preparedness activities. »»
HIV and AIDS Project
In Haiti, CRS takes an integrated approach in all of our HIV and AIDS programming. »»
Meet Harold, CRS Haiti Staff Member
CRS Haiti's Project Manager for Small Enterprise Development feels that CRS is having a positive impact on the lives of the poorest of the poor. »»
The Rewards of Committment
Vanna enjoys his work with CRS partner Thanekea Phum because he can see how his work helps people increase their income and improve their lives. »»
