Microfinance internship, community bank for fair trade project

Microfinance intern(s) needed to continue the work of developing a small community bank and/or emergency loan program in rural communities in an area of extreme poverty in Ecuador.  Many farmers here have neither the education to fill in loan forms, nor anything against which to secure a loan.  We are setting up a community bank which will allow members to borrow against their sugar cane crop, recognising the value of their organic and fair trade certification.  A recent intern has developed the plan for the program.  There is also an emergency loan program in development.  A women’s group is being set up and this will potentially also include a savings/microloan component.

The microfinance internship will include training members of the new bank and helping them adapt the proposed plan to their local situation, working with them to resolve implementation issues as they arise.  There will be many small adjustments needed to help each remote community adapt the community bank model to their unique situation.  Education levels are generally not high, and many people are functionally illiterate, so microfinance interns will need to work closely and patiently with each community.  Another possibility is to work with other small, local community banks to develop a joint database to share loan status information and avoid bad credit risks.  As the women’s group develops, microfinance interns may be able to offer advice on a simple savings/loan program within the group. 

CRACYP (which stands for Rural Reforestation and Progress Network Corporation, in Spanish) is a non profit organisation working in over 200 communities on the borders of the Cotopaxi, Bolivar and Los Rios provinces in Ecuador.  CRACYP’s aim is "Progreso Verde" or "Green Progress" - conservation of the environment and economic and social development of local communities.  We aim to transfer appropriate technology and sustainable alternative agricultural methods such as organic, fair trade production, in exchange for community participation in reforestation.  This process also increases the production alternatives and resources of the communities involved, improving their quality of life.  

This is a great opportunity for a microfinance or economics student or graduate to gain practical field experience in a rural development context.  As well as helping develop the microloans programs, the intern will also participate in monthly development workshops. 

Interns will be based in an organic sugar cane farming community in the foothills of the Andes, a beautiful area with a subtropical climate.

Time commitment: 4-12 weeks.  Prospective microfinance interns must have strong Spanish language skills, patience, and a good rapport with people.

More details: download an information pack from www.progresoverde.org/internship.html or email internship.ecuador@yahoo.co.uk.  Please quote reference SDMicJun12 when you apply.