Profil Mitra

Rabobank Foundation

Rabobank Foundation was established in 1973 with the objective of providing a co-operative alternative for large groups abroad and providing better prospects for disadvantaged groups in society. On the basis of the figures, which speak for themselves, we can say that the objective has been achieved. In the past thirty years, Rabobank Foundation has spent over € 55.5 million on hundreds of projects in more than 40 countries. Of that total, over € 30 million were spent on projects abroad, in developing countries and in emerging economies. Millions of people have benefited from the aid given by the Foundation.

It is scarcely credible that around 4 billion people, around the world, have no access to mainstream banking services. Rabobank Foundation has been able to offer some of them an alternative so that they were able to achieve economic growth: support in the establishment of a cooperative savings and credit system or a local microfinance institution. It is especially this type of micro-loans – and having access to them – that can mean so much in the context of poverty alleviation. Credit cooperatives with more than 100,000 members are no exception. If you then multiply the number of members by the number of people in the household, you will see why the Foundation can justifiably claim to have improved the prospects of millions of people simply by helping them strengthen their family income potential. The Foundation encourages these people and their organizations towards self-sufficiency, self-management and self-direction.

The silver thread which runs through all projects of the Foundation is also the motto of the Rabobank organization: money and good advice. The Foundation is now looking to a shift to the frontiers of finance: micro-insurance and leasing. These all add up to the ingredients for success of Rabobank Foundation.