Ambrose Business Program Focusing on Microfinance
September 17, 2007 - Professors David Adams and Jeff Huebner, from the Business Department at Ambrose University College, are developing a new international field course on microfinance - small loans to help poor individuals, in developing countries, start businesses to support themselves and their families.
Ambrose is partnering with a small group of missions workers in Latin America, who have developed a microfinance program to improve the economic well-being of locals in rural villages, and provide resources for church and community-related development projects. The program is operational, but has not yet been documented and developed into a practical training package for use in other regions and cultures.
This fall, Ambrose business students will work in teams to develop a microfinance training manual as part of an international business course. In the spring of 2008, they will travel to the project site and see this microfinance manual applied practically in the field. In future years, the scope of involvement may be expanded to include other areas such as capital fund-raising campaigns for loans, and business-skills training for microenterprise participants.
Adams and Huebner are excited about this initiative. Jeff Huebner remarked, "This type of cross-cultural initiative offers practical, experience-based learning opportunities for students, allowing them to add value to work in the field while developing their own business skills, and supports the mission of Ambrose by contributing to a vibrant and on-going missions partnership."
As part of the microfinance initiative, David and Jeff will fly down to El Salvador at the beginning of October to attend the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Forum on Micro Enterprises in Latin America. Following the conference, they will conduct a planning trip to the project site in preparation for the student field course next spring.
The missionary partners have also expressed a need for used laptop computers and baseball equipment (gloves, bats, ball, etc.) for use in their church-planting activities. To donate any items, find out more about the microfinance program, or make a contribution toward the costs of the student field course, please contact David Adams or Jeff Huebner.
Contact:
Mr. David Adams
403.410.2000 ext. 6912
DAdams@Ambrose.edu
Mr. Jeff Huebner
403.410.2000 ext. 6915