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SPBD: Celebrating 10 years of investing in Fiji’s women

Before joining the South Pacific Business Develop- 20,000 members. SPBD is a key part of Fiji’s financial sector, and
ment (SPBD) program, Vani Vakacegu worked hard but has formed partnerships with some of Fiji’s most prominent compa-
found it difficult to get ahead. At 32 years of age she nies, including Vodafone, Courts, the Fiji Development Bank, Kiva
had four children, with another on the way. Her hus- Microfunds, the Rotary Club of Suva, Vinod Patel and RC Manubhai.
band, the family’s sole breadwinner, was a fisherman, SPBD has also played a critical role in supporting communities
but “life was very hard”. through natural disasters, including Cyclone Evan through a Cash-
Then Vani was introduced to SPBD, at that stage a new microfi- for-Work program in 2013 and Cyclone Winston in 2016. Most re-
nance institute that was holding workshops around Fiji to help wom- cently, SPBD has launched a COVID-19 Pandemic Response Strat-
en secure loans without security, to go into business. Vani’s first loan egy to benefit all its members.
was for F$850, which enabled her to start buying and selling fish. She “During hard times, SPBD listens closely to what the SPBD
quickly saw returns. “The first thing I did was provide electricity for members would suggest. The best example is when the economic
my family,” she says. effects of COVID-19 pandemic hit the livelihoods of our members.
Since that modest start, Vani has been able to buy a sewing ma- We immediately restructured their loans and provided a five-month
chine and brush cutter, which saves her family time and money. She repayment holiday. On top of that, we are currently providing Busi-
bought a second-hand vehicle to transport produce from her village to ness Recovery Loans and also promote the establishment of Home
Suva city, not only for herself, but for other women in her community. Gardens to cope up with the hardships,”says SPBD General Manager,
She has purchased a freezer and more recently, a newer vehicle. She Rico Munoz.
has expanded from selling fish to other produce. Her children have SPBD’s philosophy of lending is based on respect for each indi-
leadership roles at their schools and the eldest is at the University of vidual’s innate human ingenuity, drive and self-esteem. By providing
Fiji. small, unsecured loans of around US$400 to groups of rural women,
Vani still works extremely hard—her day begins at 3am—but who then invest them into businesses based on their existing liveli-
says joining SPBD has given her confidence to lead: “Everything I hood skills, it provides an opportunity for women to achieve their full
have learned from SPBD I have to take to my community, I have to potential, expand their businesses, support their children’s education,
help them do the finance work and also help them do the marketing. I improve the healthiness of their homes, build savings and invest in
have to encourage them so we can insurance.
buy one market on the high- Training and ongoing mentoring and guidance is key to SPBD’s
way so it will be easy for us work. Last year SPBD recruited its first participants to the Fiji Bloom
to sell our product.” business acceleration program, which aims to pave a new pathway to
SPBD celebrates its help informal, women-led micro-enterprises transition into thriving,
10th anniversary in Fiji formalised small-medium enterprises.
this year and has sup- Throughout the six-month program, SPBD connects participants
ported many women like to tailored business curriculum training, one-to-one private industry-
Vani in that time. Since specific coaching and select networking events — all to help them
its beginnings from a small build and execute a SME-level business plan.
temporary office at the Suva “The Fiji Bloom Program offers a whole new world to the women
Motor Inn in October 2010, it micro-entrepreneurs. Through this program we are able to assist them
now has branches in the capital, to formalise their businesses, equip them to transition from micro to
Sigatoka, Savusavu, Lautoka, Ra- SME-level enterprises and accelerate their growth through training
kiraki, and Labasa, and works across and business coaching,” explained Mr. Munoz.
Fiji. Just last year, SPBD operations SPBD Fiji is part of the SPBD Microfinance Network which is
reached Rabi for the first time. In 2011 also celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. The network started
it reached its first 1000 SPBD members; in Samoa in 2020 and has spread its operations in the region – Tonga
that number now stands at well over (2009), Fiji (2010), Solomon Islands (2012) and Vanuatu (2017). To
know more about the SPBD network please visit: www.spbdmicro-
finance.com
Vani Vakacegu To learn more about Fiji Bloom visit https://www.fijibloom.org/
To find out how you can support Fiji women through SPBD visit
https://www.kiva.org/lend?partner=562&status=fundRaising&so
rtBy=expiringSoon

SPBD Fiji impact

7000 active Over 54,357 Over 9000 savings 80% of
women loans (worth accounts and members’
members FJ$69.26million) 4,857 death children are
disbursed since benefit coverage now in school
inception

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