The key cause behind human trafficking is extreme poverty. When a woman has no other way to earn money to sustain herself or her family, she becomes desperate. Poor choices, including the high prospect of abuse, result in a downward spiral.

People in poverty do not have access to commercial lending banks. Where finance is unavailable, unscrupulous loan sharks take advantage of borrowers by charging exorbitant interest, leading families into perpetual poverty. This can result in the selling of their children or accumulating incredible levels of debt that continue over several generations. Women seeking to finance small businesses such as tailoring, selling, or small-scale manufacturing are locked into this poverty cycle. They become desperate and are easily coerced into forced labor or trafficking, including the exploitation of their own children through trafficking, forced labor, or cybersex.

The solution for children starts with their mothers, and microfinance is the key to addressing this – a proven model for helping people start to pull themselves out of poverty.

women in a meeting
Kate Brown, Captivating Philippines Project Manager, and Glenn Roberts, Captivating International Board Member, visiting one of our microfinance women’s groups in Bataan, Philippines.

How it Works

Microfinance helps by providing families the opportunity to take out small loans to start or grow their businesses. Once approved for the loan:

  • They become part of the microfinance community.
  • They meet weekly to discuss business ideas.
  • Loan recipients form groups of five or more to support and encourage each other and assist in repaying the loan.
  • Project lenders provide training and business skills to these groups.

This empowers women as they provide their own solution to generations of poverty and further creates a sisterhood of caring.

How to Help

Your support of USD 270 | AUD 385 will:

  • Ensure enough loan capital is available for another family to join the program.
  • Be a gift that keeps on giving as families repay their loans (currently, less than 6% default).
  • Address poverty and significantly decrease the risk of human trafficking for mothers and their children.
  • Bring genuine hope and joy to mothers, knowing they can afford to educate their children.
  • Make you part of a small group of generous ONE HOPE donors changing the world. You’ll receive a six-monthly update on our overall work and impact in the Philippines (August and February).

The One Hope Microfinance Program – Captivating Philippines, is an approved aid and development project run in partnership with the Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), an Australian DFAT-approved NGO that carries out quality humanitarian projects and experts in long-term solutions to poverty. For more information about GDG, visit http://www.globaldevelopment.org.au

Donations for this program are tax-deductible in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Hong Kong.

One Hope Microfinance Program Philippines Projects