Microfinance Loan Officer Begins Job in the Dominican Republic
POSTED ON Aug 20, 2010 / UPDATED ON Jan 27, 2011
Gadris with staff from COTN–Dominican Republic staff members.
Gadris Mesa has finished his training program and is now screening candidates for loans.
Young adults who have been involved in our Village Partnership Program, such as Andrea Louis Perez, are excited about the possibility of owning their own business.
For the past two weeks, Adrian Pineda Gadris Mesa has been training. Training to become the first loan office for the Children of the Nations (COTN) Microfinance Loan Program in the Dominican Republic. “Helping families with small loans to start their own business is an effective method to motivate people to work and escape poverty,” says Adrian, who goes by “Gadris.”
The program is another way COTN has identified to help care for orphaned and destitute children. It will offer small business loans first to young adults who have come through COTN’s Village Partnership Program, then to the families of children currently in the program, and finally to others in the community who want to better their lives by starting a business. Through this program, COTN hopes to empower individuals and families to become self-sufficient and able to provide for their children. To make it happen, COTN has partnered with Esperanza International, a Christian nonprofit that focuses on microfinance to help free children and their families from the cycle of poverty. COTN is providing the clients, the physical location for trainings, and the funds for the loans, while Esperanza is providing the skills, infrastructure and software for the program.
Now that Gadris is familiar with Esperanza’s software and methods, he’s now ready to begin screening potential borrowers. One COTN young adult who plans to apply is Andrea Louis Perez from Los Robles. The 20-year-old grew up participating in COTN’s Village Partnership Program. She now attends a community college and hopes to get a loan to help her start a shop selling women’s hair supplies, make-up, and jewelry. Gadris is excited to work with young adults like Andrea, as well as parents who will use the loan to start a business that will provide for their families. “The province of Barahona is located in the poorest region of the country with a very high rate of people without jobs,” he says. “I have no knowledge of the existence of another program like this in the area, which is why I think the impact will be very positive in creating new businesses and helping low-income families.”
The program will begin with individuals from the bateys of Los Robles and Algodon—areas where COTN has had a ministry presence for years. Gadris plans to begin the interview and screening process of those interested in loans by the end of August. Once a group of borrowers is established, he’ll lead bi-weekly meetings that educate, encourage, and support those in the program. Initially, the program will involve about forty loans, allowing for Gadris’ role to be part-time. He’ll work out of the COTN–Dominican Republic office when he’s not on the road visiting borrowers. Eventually, the goal is to increase the number of loans to one-or two-hundred.
Now, in the program’s beginnings, Gadris is excited about his role in helping COTN care for children by providing a way out of poverty for their families. “My dream for the people of Barahona is to see that low-income families get out of the cycle of poverty and have a more dignified and prosperous life,” he says. “Both spiritually, with a better relationship with God, and materially.”
Currently, COTN’s Microfinance Loan Program is half-funded. To join with us in this specific program, please visit our Giving Opportunities.