SPBD Tonga

In 2000, American businessman Gregory Casagrande established the South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) to bridge the financial inclusion gap in the South Pacific. In this region, many people live in rural areas without access to traditional banking. SPBD Tonga is an entitiy of SPBD Group, and was set up in 2009. The microfinance institution has been at the forefront of combating financial inequality. Their efforts have positively impacted over 50% of households in Tonga, with a particular focus on female micro-entrepreneurs. To date, SPBD Tonga has facilitated over 73,000 microloans totaling approximately 182 million Tongan Pa'anga (equivalent to about 72 million EUR). Besides organizing their loan collections through weekly community sessions, they also provide a savings program, empowering entrepreneurs to consistently grow their assets.