How we work
Five Talents supports savings schemes, literacy training, numeracy training and business training for communities in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Bolivia and Myanmar.
We are the Anglican Church's microfinance charity, founded as a Christian response to global poverty - but of course people of all faiths (and none) join our programmes and we never evangelise. Learn more about how we work in the video below.
In-Country Community Partners
One of the most important things you need to know is that all of our programmes operate through experienced partners located within each project country. These are the people who understand the needs and aspirations of members and are trusted intimately within their community. We see this as one of the central reasons for our growth over the last 20 years.
Microfinance & more
Just imagine for a second what your life would be like without a bank account. No current or savings account. Could you function?
Many people have multiple accounts across a range of banks, and it’s difficult to envisage a world in which simple financial services like savings and loans are out of reach. The reality in the places where our partners work is that many have never held a savings account before.
In the places where we work most local banks cannot afford to lend small sums of money to local would-be entrepreneurs who have little or no collateral. The risks are simply too high. Large banks even find it difficult to provide affordable and convenient savings services for communities at the bottom of the economic ladder. This excludes many communities from formal financial institutions - which is why it is essential that our partners work with communities to establish microfinance programmes.
Our partners utilise savings-led microfinance and support communities to set Savings Groups. These Groups are where communities meet and create a safe place to save their money, take out a small loan and receive business training. These are “micro” savings and loans - very small amounts that add up to make a huge impact. On top of these essential financial services for some Groups there is additional training in literacy & numeracy or trauma counselling. You can learn more about training and education here.
Savings Group basics
Each Savings Group is formed of 10-50 members and each member brings a set amount to save determined by the Group.
Depending on the type of programme, members can save flexibly or deposit fixed amounts to qualify for loans. This is a sign of commitment and helps embed the idea of putting aside money for savings and repayments creating a safety net for emergencies and times of crisis.
Savings Groups offer community tailored approaches so members learn, earn, save and invest together to build a brighter future for themselves, their families and their community. You can learn more about our sustainable microfinance model here.
Where to next?