Empowering Women Entrepreneurs Through Microfinance: The Learning Loan's 100% Repayment Success

Roberta Lauretti-Bernhard, Vice President of Programs at Food Enterprise Solutions and co-founder of the Learning Loan Microfinance program, presented daily sessions at the IWCA Community Lounge explaining how microfinance creates wealth for women in coffee.

Roberta founded the Women in Coffee Entrepreneurs Microfinance Fund to raise capital for micro loans and provide business literacy training for coffee women. Her presentations at the lounge defined what microfinance is, shared successful programs across multiple countries, and demonstrated how trust-based lending combined with financial education achieves a 100% repayment rate.

The Learning Loan offers small loans ranging from $400 to $1,000 to women in rural areas who lack access to traditional banking. The program was developed by Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung Foundation with Earth's Choice Women of Coffee Microfinance. IWCA chapters worldwide use the Microfinance Management Training Manual, now available in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, to implement Learning Loan programs in their regions.

Attendees gained understanding of microfinance's long history and its proven application in coffee, learned about successful programs creating measurable impact, and connected with Roberta as a technical resource for chapters interested in launching microfinance initiatives.

Food Enterprise Solutions sponsored two days of the IWCA Community Lounge, supporting the infrastructure that made sustained education and connection possible throughout the expo weekend.

Learn more about the Learning Loan program