Background

Our story begins in 1971 when a small group of dedicated Australian bankers came together to make a difference to their neighbors in Asia, the Pacific Islands and Australia. Witnessing the lack of effectiveness of charity handouts, they decided that to create real and lasting change in poor communities, a different approach would be needed. The group were long-time veterans in the banking world and so had lived and breathed the potential for financial institutions to shape society – yet the model they used was one that has seen a shift towards inequality dating back to the 19th century.

Value

Resilient, collaborative, respectful, and inclusive.

Mission

We embrace a 3-pillar approach of:

1. Earn: through microenterprise and livelihood programs.
2. Save: through Financial Literacy.
3. Invest: through access to digital tools and diverse finance sources.

Vision

For communities to be resilient and self-support across the Asia-Pacific region.