Introduction
My name is Brian Keen, founder of MicroLoan Foundation Australia.
I hope you will excuse this unsolicited approach and allow me to introduce you to MicroLoan Foundation Australia, a small and extremely effective charity that, through small loans and business training, supports women in sub-Sahara Africa to start their own business and work their way out of poverty.
I am inviting you to join our ‘Start Something’ campaign, part of our effort to seize a special opportunity, described later*, allowing you to double the impact we can have in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world. Malawi recently suffered a devastating flood leaving hundreds of thousands homeless, with their crops destroyed and facing continued hardship into the foreseeable future.
Our History
We are a very small organisation which has lifted continually well above its weight with our historic cost of administration and fundraising of 3.6%.
Our achievements since we opened in Australia are shown by the statistics below:
- MicroLoan Foundation Australia was registered as a charity in September 2008
- Opened our loans office in Mulanje, Malawi in May 2009
- Funds transferred since launch $171,814
- No. of loans dispensed for the year from July 2014: 3639
- Value of loans disbursed YTD: $321,245
- Value of loans in place: $156,755
- Average loan value: $94 – this has increased due to funding demands placed by the depreciation of the Malawi Kwacha and recent depreciation of the Australian dollar.
- Repayment rate YTD: 96% – reflects flood impact as historically 99.8%
Currently no wages or salaries are paid and all operations are managed by the Directors with the minimal amount of time.
The ‘Start Something’ Campaign
The demand for our funds is significant, especially since the flood as many of our clients need additional loans to rebuild their businesses.
However our small group is struggling to attract and manage volunteers throughout Australia. So one of the objectives of our approach to you is to raise monies and sponsorship to enable us to employ a part-time General Manager to source and support volunteers and grow our fundraising.
An anonymous donor has offered to match your Gifts.
To launch our ‘Start Something’ campaign an anonymous donor has generously offered to commit up to $12,600 to match any money raised from the corporate and philanthropy sectors during May.
So you have the chance to make double the impact for every cent you give!
Make a tax deductible Gift now and get our clients in Malawi back on their feet with our emergency Malawi Flood Appeal.
Please call me NOW on 0417 211366.
I’d be delighted to speak to you to answer your questions and explain how you can help MicroLoan Foundation Australia and ‘Give a Hand Up Not a Handout’.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to speaking to you sometime soon.
Warm Regards,
Brian Keen
PS To see our latest newsletter, click here.
Brian Keen
Founder and Chairman
MICROLOAN FOUNDATION – AUSTRALIA a company limited by guarantee
In partnership with the MicroLoan Foundation, United Kingdom, Est. 2002
Postal address and Registered Office: 50 Wyuna Ave Freshwater NSW 2096
Skype brian.keen1 Tel 61 (0) 417 211366
Sydney Office: L5/192 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000
www.microloanfoundationaustralia.org.au
Click here to listen to Bob Geldof and see how MicroLoan Foundation helps African women lift their families from poverty or visit http://www.microloanfoundation.org.au/