Grameen Today
Grameen Today is a program providing small loans, financial training and support to members, especially women, seeking to generate income through microenterprise.
About Grameen Today
Grameen Today is a program providing small loans, financial training and support to members seeking to generate income through microenterprise. We aim to reach people with entrepreneurial aspirations, who are experiencing unemployment, financial exclusion and poverty.
In place of collateral and credit scores, we use the Grameen group lending model to provide financial services to women on low incomes looking to start or expand a small business.
Grameen Australia offers a fair interest rate with reasonable terms and supports the small loan with financial and business training. Members also open free savings accounts with commercial banks and make weekly deposits.
Research in America shows the model reduces material hardship, increases business earnings and savings, and leads to improvements in overall wellbeing, financial empowerment and social support.
What is a microenterprise?
The term microenterprise refers to a small business that employs a small number people. A microenterprise is usually started with a small amount of capital and provides goods or services to their local communities.
Our members design and operate their own microenterprise. The types of small businesses that members operate include but are not limited to:
- Crafts eg wood, perfumes, candles, soap Hospitality eg food catering activities, bakeries
- Personal services eg hairdressing, nail salons, massage, personal trainer, child care, make-up
- Other services eg Cleaning
- Professional eg marketing, websites, business consulting
- Education eg tutoring, language teacher
- Construction trades eg painting, decorating, landscaping, and tiling and carpeting
- Retail eg cake and bread bakery shops, clothing, car dealers, book shops, plant retailers
“I’m encouraging young people to become social business entrepreneurs and contribute to the world, rather than just making money. Making money is no fun. Contributing to and changing the world is a lot more fun.”
Professor Muhammad Yunus
About our members
Our members are primarily women who live below the poverty line and are unable to access credit from a mainstream bank. We aim to work with people from a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences including:
Sole Parents
Carers
Migrants and refugees
