PSP Banking on Health Project Update, October 2005

The PSP Banking on Health Project is pleased to share the following update and successes in their work:

In the Philippines, the PSP Banking on Health Project has provided private practice midwives training in basic financial record keeping, financial management and accessing finance so that they can grow their businesses. These midwives are interested in finance so that they may improve the quality of their services and facilities as well as increase their ability to offer quality family planning and reproductive health products and services. In August and September 2005 three courses were held, two in Metro Manila and one in Iloilo City in Visayas. More than 75 private practice midwives were trained and provided information on local financial institutions. Since the courses, a group of midwives began a savings cooperative to help meet their financing needs, several have applied for loans from financial institutions, and one midwife has been approved to receive loan to grow her business.