Mr. Bergmann and Mr. Daniels with the women entrepreneurs of Taguig
OPPORTUNITY International Australia, together with its partner organization Tulay sa Pag-unlad, Inc. (TSPI), recently organized a visit to the Philippines for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), to see the impact of microfinance to small entrepreneurs in the country.
Mr. Michael Bergmann, DFAT’s Assistant Secretary in the NGO and Volunteers Branch, visited a client center meeting in Taguig City and was able to observe how TSPI client groups make their weekly loan repayments. Mr. Bergmann also learned how these clients are being supported by the DFAT Australian NGO Cooperation Program through the improvements in the loan products of TSPI. Examples of these loan products include the TSPI Kabuhayan Program and the TSPI Individual Loan Program.
Present during Mr. Bergmann’s visit were Opportunity International’s Philippines Country Director Mark Daniels and TSPI managers from the Central Region.
This article was written by Ms. Joanne G. Fajardo, TSPI’s Marketing Communications Supervisor.
The photos were captured by Ms. Philippa Walker, Opportunity International’s Program Manager.