Greetings!
World Vision is delighted to send you our Executive Briefing for Economic Empowerment. You are an integral part of our work to end extreme poverty by 2030, so we want to keep you updated on our progress! If you are new to our work, please take a moment to learn about our THRIVE model and how it's helping to break the cycle of poverty and sustainably improve family's education, health, food security and nutrition, and shelter.
This edition is focused on VisionFund and our work in microfinance – providing credit, savings, and insurance products to those running their own small farms and businesses in the developing world. COVID-19 is leaving a trail of economic devastation among the people World Vision serves. Experts believe that rates of global extreme poverty will rise again for the first time in decades. However, where VisionFund works we can stop the devastation by lending into the teeth of the disaster. It is an approach we call Recovery Lending. Ask your World Vision donor rep about our $55 million Recovery Lending for Resilience offer which will get VisionFund the resources they need to get people the loans they need now.
Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
June 27 is Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day – the day the world observes and recognizes the importance and impact small businesses have and make on their communities and local economies. While normally this is a day to celebrate their many achievements, this year COVID-19 is hitting the people running their own small farms and businesses really badly.
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From the Field

"But how will I make ends meet if COVID-19 does not end soon?" - female client in Kenya. With 95% of our Kenyan microfinance clients reporting reduced income due to COVID-19, Kenya quickly became a focus area for VisionFund International. CONTINUE HERE


The Story of One video shows the impact of a microfinance loan on Marie's life, and how COVID-19 may impact people like her.
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To learn more about World Visions Global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, check out these updates: Global, Africa, Latin America, Middle East/Europe and Asia Pacific.
VisionFund's Good News Friday
VisionFund has created a video series called Good News Friday! We are highlighting the innovation and resilience of our staff and clients around the world as they face the challenges of COVID-19. Check out the past 6 episodes below!
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Myanmar
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Latin America Part 1
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Latin America Part 2
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Uganda
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Zambia
CLICK HERE for Good News Friday! Mongolia
Links and Articles Worth Checking Out

Reuters - The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic could plunge an extra 395 million people into extreme poverty and swell the total number of those living on less than $1.90 a day worldwide to more than 1 billion, researchers said in a report on Friday. CLICK HERE

The World Bank - COVID-19 to Plunge Global Economy into Worst Recession since World War II. CLICK HERE
The World Economic Forum - Impact on Africa - this week's World vs Virus podcast CLICK HERE
Updates from our THRIVE Managers
All of our THRIVE Managers have provided a quick update for June on how Covid-19 is affecting the work in their country. Enjoy a quick visit!
CLICK HERE for THRIVE Malawi, Kondwani Chapotera
CLICK HERE for THRIVE Honduras, Jamie Marin
CLICK HERE for THRIVE Tanzania, Alphonce Kyariga
CLICK HERE for THRIVE Zambia, Moffat Mtonga
CLICK HERE for THRIVE Rwanda, Safari Dieudonne
Upcoming Calendar Events
Join us for our July Empowered World View Devotion at 8:00am PT/11:00am ET on July 10. We will be joined by our WV Malawi team for this special time. You can join directly by clicking the button below!
Join us for our July EE Donor Field Update Call at 8:00am PT/11:00am ET on July 20. We will be joined by WV Rwanda National Director Sean Kerrigan and THRIVE Program Director Dieudonne Safari. You can join directly by clicking the button below or email Kimberly Barta to be added to the ongoing invite list!
Vision Trips are currently on hold at this time. We hope they will resume before the end of the year and we will keep you posted.
Do you have specific questions about our THRIVE programming? Submit your questions by clicking the button below.
Praises & Prayer Requests
PRAISE
- Praise that generous donors have provided and pledged nearly 20% of our $55 million goal for our Recovery Lending for Resilience offer.
REQUESTS
- Pray for special openness and favor for World Vision and VisionFund as we present Recovery Lending for Resilience to colleagues at the International Finance Corporation, one of the entities in the World Bank Group. This will be about loans to VisionFund.
- Pray for special favor with officials in various parts of the Government of the United States, as we present the needs and opportunities for quickly recapitalizing the businesses of those living in extreme poverty through the Recovery Lending for Resilience offer.
- Pray for ever more divine appointments here in the USA so that ever more people, including individuals, foundations corporations can hear how they can participate in lifting people out of extreme poverty.