SPBD Fiji Wins Top Prize

Congratulations to SPBD Fiji and entrepreneur extraordinaire Asenaca Qalilawa for sweeping top honors at the inaugural National Microfinance Awards in Fiji. SPBD won the award for best microfinance service provider, and Asenaca won for best microfinance entrepreneur in Fiji.

Since launching in 2010, SPBD Fiji has grown to become the largest microfinance institution in the country. SPBD has opened 7,400 savings accounts, disbursed 4,250 microloans to women and provided business skills and financial literacy training to thousands of clients.

Asenaca Qalilawa (left), Rico Munoz and Kelera Dikakua with awards.  Picture: JAI PRASAD, Fiji Times

One of many successes is Asenaca.  Her entrepreneurial ventures have grown in the past 3 years from flower selling, weaving baskets and mats, and tailoring to include a small bakery and kava business. Asenaca believes that SPBD’s ongoing commitment to its clients, including its financial literacy training program, is what sets SPBD apart.

Robin Yarrow of the National Financial Inclusion Taskforce in Fiji said, “We believe that greater recognition needs to be given to those special individuals and micro enterprises that play such a critical role in alleviating poverty, providing employment and income to many needy families, particularly those living below the poverty line.”