OUR Social Impact

OUR MicroLending is a specialized institution, dedicated exclusively to serve the needs of microentrepreneurs; OUR microcredits allow them to improve or expand their businesses, develop a steady income, create jobs in their communities and provide surplus for their families.

For OUR, helping microentrepreneurs is more than just an objective, is a way to help improve the base of the economic pyramid, is to offer micro-entrepreneurs an effective and efficient service that support and promote their economic and social development.

We are driven by the belief that a good and successful business model can be built upon socially responsible lending. Our role is that of a successful lender that profits fairly from financing economic activities with a positive social impact that would not otherwise have access to traditional sources of financing.

 
EXTENDED ACCUMULATION: Business & Personal finances are clearly separated.
SIMPLE ACCUMULATION: Business and Personal finances are somewhat separated.
SUBSISTENCE: Business and Personal finances are clearly linked to each other.

Here is how we have impacted the community:

We are based in Miami, FL and plan to strengthen OUR presence in South Florida and expand lending to Orlando & Tampa by the last quarter of 2012.

Source: US Census Bureau

Our clients are located in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, have challenged credit, most are cash based businesses and their business income is their only source of income. In addition, most of them have been in business for less than (5) years, have less than 5 employees, and report less than $400,000 in Annual Gross Sales.

Due to their lack of financial education and size of business, their only sources of funding are Family savings, Pawn shops, and/or Loan sharks.

Since our inception in 2008, we have disbursed over 1,047 loans with an average loan of $5,966.43 and last, but not least, 42% of our borrowers are women, and many of them single mom and minorities who only needed a small loan to improve and grow their businesses.

1158 low to moderate income families have been assisted since 2008 thanks to our loans that helped keep their businesses operating.
 

Over 2618 jobs either created or maintained in 4 years and near 2,000 indirect jobs supported through our loans to microentrepreneurs in Florida with very small businesses.