University of Utah Business Brigade May 2016 Panama

Start Date: May 7, 2016 12:00 AM
End Date: May 13, 2016 12:00 AM

Global Brigades offers 7-day Microfinance Brigades throughout the year in Honduras and Panama. Microfinance Brigades volunteers provide financial literacy workshops and consultation to rural community banks. Throughout the brigade, volunteers divide into groups where they visit several families in their homes. During the community visits, volunteers develop an understanding of the families’ ways of life, aspirations and financial literacy. Following the visits, volunteers discuss their recommendations to the community bank on how they can improve their operations based on the information that was collected during the house visits. Additionally, students hold educational workshops with community members about the community bank focused on topics such as budgeting, savings incentives programs, and loans. At the end of week, students determine how they will allocate their Project Fund, whether it may be to an individual family or a lump sum donated to the community bank.