VILLAGE BANKING PROGRAM

One of World Harvest's new projects that was established in 2006 was the Village Banking Program (VDP). World Harvest opened village banking programs in Nepal and Indonesia. In Nepal, the first community served was Pokhara, where then villagers were given loans to allow them to start, or expand their existing businesses. Among them were Badal and Shati. Badal is a furniture craftsman who needed a loan to purchase wood. With his loan, Badal was able to expand his business. Shanti is a housewife. With the loan, she could open a grocery store in her home.

In Indonesia, World Harvest opened village banking programs in Aceh and Jakarta. These loans help small-scale entrepreneurs open, or expand their existing businesses. Mrs. Chen Chen, a Jakarta resident from the community of Kampung Melayu, helps support her family by selling fried noodles and traditional cakes, and opens her stationary booth in a kindergarten school near her house. Daily she can make Rp. 10.000 ($1.00) from her small business. After she received a loan from World Harvest, she was able to expand her business and double her profit-margin. In Aceh, ten motorcycle taxi (becak) drivers received loans of $1,500 to replace the motorcycles they lost in the tsunami.

Testimonial
"The becak from World Harvest is really wonderful. Before I had this becak, I often paid my children's school fees late. Thankfully with this becak, now I can pay their fees on time. Also I can afford to send all my children to school. Thank you, World Harvest. We hope World Harvest is always present in Aceh to help and guide us." (Ali Yunus-Becak No. 7, Lyung Raya Shelter).