In the Philippines, 33% of the population of 98 million lives below the poverty line. Opportunity and its network of Filipino microfinance institutions are solving this problem by bringing financial services to over 600,000 clients.
Poverty in combination with social inequality seriously threatens the stability of the Philippines. In 2006, over 27 million people in the Philippines, nearly 33% of the population, lived below the poverty line. Forty-four percent lived on less than $2 per day. The recent increase in food prices are expected to cause another 2.7 million people to slip into poverty, making it difficult for Filipinos to provide for their families’ most basic needs.
One of the victims of poverty and hardship in the Philippines, Ana grew up scavenging for food and scraps on the garbage dumps of Manila. Her parents, neither of whom had jobs, were unable feed Ana and her siblings, so they were left to find their own ways to stave off hunger. The little food they were able to find on the dumps often made them sick, but their only choice was to either eat it or starve.
Ana wanted a better life, with financial independence, but she knew she would never have enough money to start a business on her own. She found Opportunity Philippines, and with a small loan from Opportunity’s local bank TSPI, she was able to set up a small shop. After six months, Ana was able to expand her shop and had earned enough to pay back her first loan. Today, Ana works tirelessly to provide for her family, and she’s proud of her success. She also is helping the local street children who scavenge on the dumps, just as she once did.
"I want to help other people, because my heart is soft for those who are poor," Ana says. "Poverty makes you dream about succeeding in life, and here I am. I used to be one of the street children, and now I have a [...] business."
With just $125, you can provide a first-time loan to a family in the Philippines working their way out of poverty. This means that their children will have food to eat and can even go to school, and they will not have to scavenge in the garbage for their food. They’re able to restore their dignity as they begin to build a better future for themselves. After the loan is repaid, your donation is recycled into another loan, building up the local economy and changing the lives of more families.
43
