Missio Invest

Since our inception in 2016, Missio Invest has been on a remarkable journey of growth and impact. We are thrilled to announce that we are now 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, and with our recent expansion into Cameroon, we have surpassed the 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵!   In 2023 alone, these institutions have provided essential services in agriculture, healthcare, education, and microfinance to more than 𝟭𝟲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.   This achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our investors, the dedication of our borrowers, and the hard work of our incredible team. A heartfelt 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 to everyone who has been part of this journey.    We hope this milestone inspires you as much as it inspires us. Join us as we continue to invest in some of the world’s most impactful social entrepreneurs and help them achieve greater financial sustainability while providing essential basic services, jobs, and stability in their local communities all across Africa.    To learn more about our impact, check out our 2023 Impact Report (https://lnkd.in/dW42S23r) 🎉 .

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐧: 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐞𝐚, 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐧    We are thrilled to announce that #MissioInvest is expanding into #Cameroon, and that our newest partnership with the Diocese of Buea there will be a step forward in addressing educational and housing challenges for students in Cameroon.      Following our Investment Director’s Joelle Birge and Nigeria Country Manager’s Matthew Adetunji meetings in Cameroon in December 2023 (described here: https://lnkd.in/dv9p3TRN), the successful outcome of their trip is that our new borrower, the Diocese of Buea, will be realizing a two-fold project:     • The increase of classroom capacity of the CUIB Entrepreneurial High School • The construction of affordable student housing for university students These investments will address the many challenges students have faced in everyday school life and in acquiring decent housing with reliable water and electricity.     In 2023, the CUIB Entrepreneurial High School was ranked 30th among the 1,086 high schools operating in the country. Due to this success, the school has seen a steady increase in the number of enrolled students. Increasing classroom capacity will allow the institution to continue growing, educating up to 1,200 students (a 25% increase) post-loan. With Missio Invest’s contribution, the CUIB High School will be able to provide high-quality education to an increasing number of young students.     Classroom overcrowding is not the only problem this project is aiming to solve. University students are facing a housing crisis due to the unstable supply of electricity and water in many rooms available for rent. By constructing a 50-room hostel, the Diocese of Buea is meeting the high demand for affordable accommodation. The dormitory will also offer quality meals to local students and staff at low prices. Both projects will not only impact the lives of the students but will also offer full-time employment to 30 women and 24 men post-loan, with positive effects on the surrounding community. Any thoughts about our expansion to Cameroon? Please share them in the comments! 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 Ginevra Cecchi

𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐕𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐚, 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚 𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐷𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑂𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦: 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑡 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑃𝑎𝑢𝑙 𝑇𝑉𝐸𝑇 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ, 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠. On Saturday July 13th, the St John Paul TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) College and Youth Center officially opened! #MissioInvest's Getahun Tafesse was invited for the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by HE Cardinal Berhaneyesus, representatives of various church institutes, government and private sector. This was perfectly timed with #WorldYouthSkillsDay on July 15th. Why is this Center important and what does it offer? Young people (17-32 years) in Ethiopia comprise 65-70% of the population, with an urban unemployment rate of about 30%. Technical and vocational skills are crucial for unemployed youth to transform their lives and become productive members of society. As of March 2023, an average of 10,000 Ethiopian refugees are forcefully repatriated every month from Saudi Arabia alone. Since 2017, more than 350,000 returnees have been sent back to Ethiopia. Most returnees stay in Addis with unstable informal labor, exposing themselves to extreme exploitation and abuse. Many have no formal education or only primary education, requiring post-arrival support, including specialized medical or psychological assistance. The Centre is a much-needed institution for returnees, migrants, refugees, and IDPs, especially focusing on women and youth. The Center will subsidize up to 50% of trainees, providing free training for low-income individuals. In collaboration with local government and various congregations, the Pastoral Ministry Office of Addis Ababa has developed a plan to provide vocational training for those facing difficulties in entering the job market. The TVET College offers a wide variety of courses, integrating ethics, entrepreneurship, and counseling. The Center will initially train 240 students a year, aiming to train 400 students annually by 2030. We are proud to be part of this initiative that will make a real difference in the lives of marginalized women and youth. This initiative is made possible through Missio Invest's second loan in Ethiopia, demonstrating our continued growth there and our commitment to empowering communities and fostering sustainable development. Please let us know in the comments what you think of this initiative, and if you have any experience supporting youth with vocational training? #EmpoweringYouth #VocationalTraining #SustainableDevelopment #ImpactInvesting

  𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐕𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐛𝐚, 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐚    𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐷𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑂𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦: 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑡 𝐽𝑜ℎ𝑛 𝑃𝑎𝑢𝑙 𝑇𝑉𝐸𝑇 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝐸𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ, 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠.    On July 13th, the St. John Paul TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) College and Youth Center opened!  The Inauguration of the St JP II TVET College and Youth Center was attended by Getahun Tafesse for #MissioInvest, HE Cardinal Berhaneyesus, and representatives of various church institutes, government and private sector.  The opening was timed perfectly in advance of #WorldYouthSkillsDay on July 15th, 2024. Why is this Center important and what does it offer to the community?     Young people (17-32 years) in Ethiopia comprise 65-70% of the population, with an urban unemployment rate of about 30%. Technical and vocational skills are crucial for unemployed youth to transform their lives and become productive members of society.     As of March 2023, an average of 10,000 Ethiopian refugees are forcefully repatriated every month from Saudi Arabia alone. Since 2017, more than 350,000 returnees have been sent back to Ethiopia. Most returnees stay in Addis with unstable informal labor, exposing themselves to extreme exploitation and abuse. Many have no formal education or only primary education, requiring post-arrival support, including specialized medical or psychological assistance.     The Centre is a much-needed institution for returnees, migrants, refugees, and IDPs, especially focusing on women and youth. The Center will subsidize up to 50% of trainees, providing free training for low-income individuals.     In collaboration with local government and various congregations, the Pastoral Ministry Office of Addis Ababa has developed a plan to provide vocational training for those facing difficulties in entering the job market. The TVET College offers a wide variety of courses, integrating ethics, entrepreneurship, and counseling. The Center will initially train 240 students a year, aiming to train 400 students annually by 2030.     We are proud to be part of this initiative that will make a real difference in the lives of marginalized women and youth. This initiative is made possible through Missio Invest's second loan in Ethiopia, demonstrating our continued commitment to empowering communities and fostering sustainable development.     Please let us know in the comments what you think of this initiative, and if you have any experience with vocational training for youth?    #EmpoweringYouth #VocationalTraining #SustainableDevelopment #ImpactInvesting 

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 Join us in celebrating a milestone for community development and innovation as the Archbishop Anthony Mayala Hall, a beacon of progress in Mwanza Diocese, Tanzania, is officially opened.   The grand opening of the Archbishop Anthony Mayala Hall was honored by Archbishop Renatus Nkwande of Mwanza Diocese, who performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, and #MissioInvest was represented by our Tanzania Country Manager, Patrick Mujuni.   This state-of-the-art venue is a first for Mwanza city centre, boasting a capacity of over 800 guests, equipped with advanced features like soundproofing, air conditioning, and a multi-floor layout, ensuring an unparalleled experience for all types of events.    Here's how according to the newly appointed director Fr. Stephano Willy Matui, the Archbishop Anthony Mayala Hall will be making a difference:   • Empowering Employment: Providing livelihoods for over 130 individuals, and balancing gender representation in its workforce.   • Supporting Local Economy: Sourcing from local farmers and businesses, we're helping to create a sustainable economic ecosystem.   • Cultivating Talent: From MCs to service staff, Archbishop Mayala Hall is investing in the development of new skills and careers.   • Advancing Health Education: The hall serves as a venue for vital health initiatives, including HIV prevention workshops.   With the goal to train and host over 50,000 individuals annually, the hall is set to become a cornerstone for educational and professional development in the region.   What are your thoughts on the role of such multifaceted venues in driving local economic and social growth for communities? Share your insights below! #CommunityEmpowerment #SocialImpact

ActivityInfo has been an excellent platform for our Impact Measurement System for several years now, and we are delighted to present our use case during their webinar next week.

Another year of impact on the books! With eight years under our belt and four years since we launched Missio Invest Social Impact Fund, the culture of donation dependency is changing in Africa. Here's hoping we can show investors--of all kinds--that more can be achieved by culture of sustainable financing that prioritizes the needs and skills of people closest to the development context.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭? For us in 2023 it was this: - By the end of 2023, Missio Invest has disbursed 81 loans worth over $17 million USD, with 55% of the loans going to women-run enterprises. - 11 of our initial loans have been fully repaid, showcasing our investment model. But the 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 was created by our investees: - Our 64 current borrowers in 2023 ran over about 2,900 social institutions that in turn supported over 16,000,000 people. - These included 220 hospitals and healthcare facilities in 9 countries treating over 8 million patients, and 2,371 schools that educated 3,4 million students. - They bolstered local economies with 38,4 million USD through salaries, wages, local suppliers, microfinance, and scholarships offered. - Over 29,000 micro-finance borrowers accessed finance through 2 micro-finance institutions in Nigeria and Uganda. - Laudatio Si’ initiatives and sustainable agriculture practices led to the planting of almost 180,000 trees. We hope you 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭!

Antoinette Mensah, Ph.D. , Director of World Mission Ministries for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently traveled and while in country, interviewed our Country Managers (CM) FRANCIS OPOKU-MENSAH (Ghana) and Frank Mambala (Malawi) about what #MissioInvest does and what impact we are creating. We are delighted to share these interviews with you: - Francis (CM Ghana): https://lnkd.in/d3fzihCd - Frank (CM Malawi): https://lnkd.in/dK73Hngf

MIssio Invest is hosting a workshop in Dar-es-Salaam from Thursday, May 16th to Saturday May 18h, 2024. Please join us for Day 1 here tomorrow (8.30 - 13.30).