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Business Brigades from Global Brigades on Vimeo.
Mission
To empower rural communities in Panama, without access to financial services and business guidance, by providing micro-enterprise consulting, financial planning assistance and strategic investment.
5 Year Vision (2011-2016)
Over the next 5 years we plan mobilize 3,500 students to engage 2,800 families and 1400 micro-enterprises with consulting, financial literacy workshops and $350,000 of capital for the purposes of micro-loans and savings accounts.
What is a Business Brigade?To empower rural communities in Panama, without access to financial services and business guidance, by providing micro-enterprise consulting, financial planning assistance and strategic investment.
5 Year Vision (2011-2016)
Over the next 5 years we plan mobilize 3,500 students to engage 2,800 families and 1400 micro-enterprises with consulting, financial literacy workshops and $350,000 of capital for the purposes of micro-loans and savings accounts.
Business Brigades volunteers work with community bank loan officers to consult potential borrowers on improving financial sustainability. Volunteers provide rural communities with the educational, financial, and organizational resources necessary to sustainably drive their own economic development. The business brigade volunteers serve as a catalyst to loan borrowers, providing consulting methodologies, financial workshops and donating a “capital investment” to the community bank to back the loan. Community members pay back their loans to the partner community bank, which is then able to redistribute those funds into the community through new loans. Between brigades our in-country team maintains relationships with the community bank and borrowers to provide follow-up and measure outcomes.
Volunteers’ role during the Business Brigade varies based on the business background and skill of the volunteer. Volunteers with little to no background in business have the opportunity to still work with loan applicants and business owners on understanding basic savings, as well as providing consulting on basic business practices such customer service and marketing. Volunteers with a greater business background have the opportunity to provide more advanced consulting such as accounting and increasing efficiency of operations. Regardless of the skill of volunteer, each volunteer is able to meet with various borrowers and select which business they would like their “capital investment” donation to be loaned to.
Brigade Length & Location
Global Brigades offers 8 day Business Brigades throughout the year in Panama. Student volunteers can get involved with an upcoming Business Brigade by joining a local student chapter on their college campus or creating a new chapter and recruiting a group of students. Business professionals can also participate a brigade by viewing our calendar for an upcoming brigade and joining as a business professional.
View Business Brigades Brochure
