MEDA - Mennonite Economic Development Associates
155 Frobisher Drive
Suite I-106
Waterloo,
ON
N2V 2E1
Canada
519-725-1633
http://www.meda.org
Our Mission As an association of Christians, faithful in daily work and committed to sharing abilities and resources, MEDA creates business solutions to poverty. Our Vision ...that all people may experience God's love and unleash their potential to earn a livelihood, provide for families and enrich their communities. Our Promise Informed by our faith-based values, we creatively combine enlightened business practices and entrepreneurial thinking to provide roads out of poverty. Our work is not done until it is proven to be sustainable, replicable, scalable and measurable. The scope and effectiveness of our programs will surprise you. We show respect for all and seek to create dignity for everyone touched by our work, at home and around the world. About MEDA MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) is an international development association that creates sustainable business solutions to poverty and spurs community economic growth for millions. For 60 years, MEDA has been designing and implementing innovative and effective market-driven economic development programs that improve the livelihoods of families living in poverty around the world. Founded by a small group of service-oriented business people, MEDA has grown to become a large, dynamic international organization comprised of thousands of members and supporters across North America and Europe. Compassionate women and men invest in areas of poverty around the world; they help others unleash their potential to earn a livelihood in order to provide for their families and enrich their communities. In order to achieve this goal, MEDA has eight key strategic areas of focus: agriculture, rural financial services, investment in small and medium (SME) businesses, business of health, youth and financial services, deposit mobilization, women's economic development, and an engaged and growing association. MEDA believes its work is not done until it is proven to be sustainable, replicable, scalable and measurable. We are a recognized leader for establishing best practices in financial services, investment fund development, and market development, solving poverty by responding to each population's unique needs. MEDA's competitive edge is to solve issues of poverty through business solutions that integrate all three of our areas of strength. Our professional, committed staff have grassroots experience, a business orientation and the ability to work at large-scale development issues. * Including: ACDI VOCA, AED, Aga Khan Foundation, CARE , CIDA, Heifer International, IDB, IDE, The MasterCard Foundation, Shorebank International, Tanzanian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, USAID, World Bank, World Vision Creating business solutions to poverty
Financial Services Enabling poor entrepreneurs to earn sustainable livelihoods by increasing access to financial products and services MEDA has a longstanding reputation as a pioneer in microfinance, particularly in the area of financial institution development - creating, governing and aiding in the sustainable growth of institutions, including Haiti, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Romania and Tajikistan. We partner with leading commercial and non-profit financial institutions and investors to offer professional, high-quality services to more than one million clients living in poverty. How? Through our experienced staff, a solid reputation for technical service delivery and by supporting partners in practical ways - leading to improved products, services and management capacity. Afghanistan: Designed and launched an MFI with Women for Women International Haiti: Rural financial institution merged with country's largest microfinance institution (MFI); support including advisory services, governance and investment capital Mozambique: Management of a project supporting the national microfinance sector through technical assistance and legislation Nicaragua: Created an MFI that is now the largest in the country; started new MFI to focus on rural populations Market Linkages The world's poor depend on markets. The complex commercial systems where products are bought and sold can be the determining factor between health and sickness; between making money and going hungry. The difference between poverty and prosperity often hinges on the equity and efficiency of the businesses that serve the poor. The Market Linkages team at MEDA understands this. That is why we devote ourselves to technical excellence in market-led development. We are industry leaders in the key areas of value chain development, agricultural programming, business solutions for health and in women's economic empowerment. Our intersecting competencies include research and publishing, financial services, supply chain management, information technologies, monitoring and evaluation, scale-up, training, project design, and smart incentives such as vouchers for market expansion. We provide these services through sub-contracts, consultancies and long-term program management. Over 50 years, MEDA has learned important lessons that we now apply to all of our market linkage and value chain programming. We know the best programs are led by market demand - not supply. We know it is better to build the capacity of local businesses and support organizations than to create new ones. And we know lack of credit is one of the biggest problems facing farmers and the businesses that serve them. Sarona Asset Management was spun out of MEDA in 2011 through a management buyout. MEDA was founded in 1953 as a private investment company, making its first investment in the Sarona Dairies in South America. That first investment had a dual objective: solid financial returns and community benefit by providing capital to help build an industry and support the local economy. The Sarona Dairies investment became very successful, spawning a dairy industry that eventually served 70% of Paraguay's national market as well as an export market. Over time, MEDA evolved into a non-profit international economic development institution but also retained its investment management mandate. In 2011 it sold the majority of its investment arm to the company's management team. MEDA retains a 10% ownership in Sarona Asset Management Inc. Foreign Exchange MEDA Trade Co. Inc., a for-profit division of MEDA, provides an exceptional US dollar and major and exotic currency remittance service for international non-government organizations throughout Canada. We draw on several major bank's direct trading lines to offer savings on purchases of US dollars and major currencies. We also provide various innovative options for converting US and Canadian funds into local (exotic) currencies in over 120 countries. All transactions are executed through government authorized programs or institutions. We do not require payment from our clients until they have received from us either the bank confirmation of funds sent, or the deposit ticket of funds received. This reduces the financial risk to both our clients and the beneficiary. MEDA Trade is registered with FinTrac, the Federal Government agency set up to monitor all international financial transactions in order to guard against money laundering and terrorism funding. MEDA Trade has over 17 years of trading experience with more than 1,800 transactions per year valued at over $95,000,000 Canadian annually.
