Letter from our interim managing director

Dear friends, investors and colleagues,

A new year has begun. We’ve taken stock of 2016 (our annual results will be announced in March) and turn our focus to what 2017 may bring. We look forward to fresh beginnings, to continued success, to what is possible and what is desired. The beginning of every new year is full of hope.

Hope is at the core of Oikocredit’s mission and values. Our vision depends upon our positive and confident belief that empowerment and the creation of opportunity are steps towards the betterment of our global society.

Situations will arise that test one’s hope. Conflict and natural disasters are among the harshest of challenges that our partners have to bear. But when our partners face such hardships — like our partners in the Philippines, Ecuador and Ukraine that you can read about in our recent newsletter — they are not alone. Oikocredit offers a chance to recover, rebuild, face the future with optimism.

On behalf of our organization I thank you for investing your hope with us. In 2017 we will continue to invest in our four focus areas of inclusive finance, agriculture, renewable energy and Africa. We will continue to support the work of our partners and provide our investors with a triple return on their investment: social, environmental and financial.

The work Oikocredit does and the strong support we receive fills me with hope for our future and I would like to thank you all for being a part of this.

Best regards,

Ging Ledesma