Empowered Lending in Arauca: Volunteer Collaboration for Improved Microcredit products in Colombia.

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Asomicrofinanzas is the leading Colombian microfinance association that provides training and support for the country’s micro-lenders. Asomicrofinanzas’ partner Fundación el Alcaraván (Alcaraván) uses microcredit to bolster infrastructural, economic, and environmental development projects in the department of Arauca.

Through Asomicrofinanzas partnership with F2F Colombia, Alcaraván requested remote and local volunteer assistance to improve the design of its financial products to serve rural clients. To help Alcaraván with its product design, remote volunteer Craig Feinberg and local volunteer Mauricio Mendoza gave significant time to help the organization with the research that underpins the creation of successful financial products. Using surveys and focus groups, the two volunteers and Alcaraván gleaned important data about client needs from rural stakeholders in Arauca.

Local volunteer Mauricio planned and completed surveys and focus groups with Alcaraván and rural communities, generating data that remote volunteer Craig used to create a financial product design manual for the organization. F2F Colombia Field Officer Gabriela Villamizar translated the manual into English. The manual’s purpose is to walk Alacaraván through a systematized process to research, design, pilot, evaluate, and launch new financial products for rural stakeholders. The organization anticipates that the manual will help its staff create financial products tailored to its clients’ needs and accelerate communities’ departure from poverty.

Alacaraván staff has since used the manual to develop a pilot product; they are now returning to the original focus groups for feedback on how well the product meets the groups’ stated needs. The virtual portion of the assignment concludes at the end of May, but the host and volunteers anticipate an in-person F2F visit from Feinberg when travel reopens after the pandemic. The collaboration between F2F Colombia, the host, and the volunteers is a hopeful example of how agriculture development continues despite complications from the pandemic.

The volunteers had very positive impressions of their work and will continue their collaboration with Alcaraván.

Craig said his work with Alcaraván allowed him to share his expertise and broaden his knowledge base. “I grew up in the understanding of the methodology for lending programs. Also, the process reinforced my knowledge of the current Colombian agricultural credit situation.” Craig also mentioned that “the experience was amazing because I enjoy being part of a work group and appreciate the opportunity to come up with collective and interdisciplinary constructions.” Craig is an international development microfinance specialist with over 20 years of experience.

Mauricio thinks that their work will transcend Alcaraván and help other microfinance institutions affiliated with Asomicrofinanzas: “I am sure that after completing the remaining tasks and refining the product, this program would be useful for hundreds of Colombian rural farmers.” Mauricio is an agriculture and rural extension specialist based in Bogotá.

of Colombian rural farmers.” Mauricio is an agriculture and rural extension specialist based in Bogotá.

 

 For more information on the host, please go to: http://www.alcaravan.org.co/


 

 

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