Investment Decisions - Fall 2010

This semester 16 students comprised Occidental Impact Fund's Investment Board. Ranging from first years to seniors board members were pulled from a variety of academic departments including Urban and Environmental Policy, Diplomacy and World Affairs, Politics, and Economics. The board met multiple times through out the semester to learn about microfinance, define a goal, develop a criteria, and evaluate competing microfinance institutions for funding. The Impact Fund's fall 2010 Investment Board's funding decisions are as follows:

Pro Mujer - Mexico - $1000
Operating throughout Latin America, Pro Mujer is one of the world's most well regarded microfinance institutions. Building off a long history of success, Pro Mujer works to empower women not only economically, but socially through the use of micro-loans, business training, and support programs. Pro Mujer Mexico servers over 26,000 borrowers and has over 2,000 community banks throughout Mexico. Impact Fund selected Pro Mujer for funding due to their dedication to full spectrum programing. Not only does Pro Mujer provide individuals with micro-loans, but gives them additional training, health, business, and social support to ensure their entrepreneurs succeed.

Prasac - Cambodia - $2000
Created out of a partnership between the European Union and the Cambodian Government, Prasac works to rehabilitate the agricultural sector in six of Cambodia's 25 provinces. It's Prasac mission to provide efficient and sustainable financial services to individuals that lacked previous access to any form of banking. Impact Fund's Investment Board selected Prasac for its sustainable practices and unique target demographic.

If you're interested in joining Impact Fund's Spring Investment Board email corbett @oxy.edu, otherwise check back in the spring to see where our Spring Board chooses to invest.