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Grameen Foundation : Where we work : South Asia : India : CCD

Covenant Centre for Development (CCD)

Status snapshot as of December 2007
Active clients806
Loan portfolio (USD)$107,659

An NGO based in Madurai in southern India, Covenant Centre for Development (CCD) uses a three-pronged development strategy to help secure the livelihoods of poor rural families: 1) economic development, 2) natural resource development, and 3) human resource development.

Traditionally, it mobilized rural women through federations and connected them to banks. In 2006, they formed their own microfinance institution – Kalasm Livelihood Finance Ltd. – to directly manage the loans of CCD’s beneficiaries. Within the tsunami-affected area, CCD serves clients in the following three sectors:

  • Farming sector in Nagappattinam, the worst hit area in India
  • Female fish vendors in Nagappattinam District
  • Craft sector (shells/tourist artifacts) in Kanyakumari

Outreach:

One July 16, 2006, Kalasm Livelihood Finance Ltd. held a ceremony to mark its official opening. At the opening, 64 women from four self-help groups (representing seaweed gatherers, seaweed cultivators, dry fish vendors/producers and shell handicrafts) participated and received loans to support their enterprises. Since then, Kalasm has provided an additional 484 loans to female fish vendor clients in Nagapattinam.

Grameen Foundation support:

Grameen Foundation began working with CCD in 2005, following months after the December 2004 tsunami. Since then, Grameen Foundation has provided CCD with $115,000 in funding for onlending and operating expenses related to the expansion of their operations in areas affected by the tsunami.



Grameen Foundation : Where we work : South Asia : India : CCD

- Grameen Foundation - Grameen Foundation uses microfinance and innovative technology to fight global poverty and bring opportunities to the world's poorest people. With tiny loans and financial services, we help the poor, mostly women, start businesses and escape poverty. Our global network of 55 microfinance institution (MFI) partners including our Growth Guarantee partners has touched more than 34 million people in 24 countries. In addition, we introduced and now sustain technology initiatives (Mifos and Village Phone) in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, bringing our total country outreach to 28.

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