Changing people’s lives

By Lavenia Baro, FCOSS MFU,Suva,Fiji.

The Unit staff are always reminded in embracing Social Justice as part and parcel of our core activity and to be responsible and able to offer opportunities at achieving better standard of living that benefits the poor and the underserved communities in Fiji.

Embracing our social mission and realizing its impact in the lives of the underserved communities in Fiji is indeed satisfying.

The performance put forward by the FCOSS MFU team speaks volume to this effect as it shows substantial growth in loan disbursement and likewise a successful repayment rate was also recorded. This has led to a continuous financial growth of the Unit throughout the year.

Development changes and implementation of sound practices have contributed a lot to the realization of this growth and it is satisfying to realize its impact in the lives of our vulnerable communities.

MEMBERS ACHIEVEMENTS

 Raijieli first joined FCOSS MFU in 2006, with the full support of her husband, Raijieli has come a long way and her family has achieved a lot in running their microenterprise. With a humble beginning, their restaurant is now one of the most popular eating places based at the Suva flea market. Providing fulltime employment to four women and part time employment to three others. From income earned, they have managed to upgrade their farm which supplies vegetables and root crops to their restaurant, build a family home at their farm and have also diversified to run a piggery which is managed by her husband. Since 2006 to date, Raijieli has taken a total of $43,400 in loans which enable her to build her business assets and have also saved a good sum of money for the rainy days.

 Shaleshni Chandra of Naikorokoro settlement in Veisari has set a name to herself. She first joined FCOSS MFU in 2007.Has accessed a total of $7,700 in loans and is currently operating a hair salon at Lami Town. Employing two full time staff at her hair salon, Shaleshni has just recently opened a photo studio and a tailoring business next to her hair salon providing employment to three others.

50year old Jasoda Devi joined FCOSS MFU in 2009, to date Jasoda operates three microenterprises; a tailoring business based at Waimanu Road in Suva, have two taxis employing two fulltime drivers, and a small canteen which she operates from home in the evenings. She has taken a total of $12,800 in loans which helped her in growing her business. A hardworking and committed lady, Jasoda believes that FCOSS Microfinance has contributed immensely to her business success.

FCOSS  MFU is driven in creating SOCIAL CHANGE. Our belief has been that it is very difficult to combine commercialism with social change. Our desire is to stay as charity and run as a commercial organization, to be efficient in both financial and social efficiency