The Power of Microfinance
https://worldwisemicrofinance.org/
About WorldWise Microfinance
WorldWise Microfinance, is a grassroots organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. Our mission is to empower women and their families to break the cycle of poverty through accessible, affordable, locally-based microloans. We envision a more equitable world where women are financially empowered, families are economically stable, and extreme poverty ceases to exist.
History
The organization was founded in 2010 by Tom Eggert, a now-retired professor at the University of Wisconsin. A major earthquake hit Haiti in January, 2010, and the students in Tom’s class wanted to directly help families impacted by the earthquake. Tom had been teaching about the power of microfinance for many years, and here was an opportunity to put those lessons to practice. Working with an economic development group in Haiti, a microfinance program was born with startup capital of $3,000. The program has grown and expanded ever since, becoming a 501 (c)(3) organization in 2014.