The Great Exchange Microfinance (GEM) is our microfinance ministry partner. It offers hope and empowerment to the working poor by providing loans so people can start or improve their small businesses.

In April, GEM moved into a new office building. All the staff are excited about the change, as their old building was falling apart. No one wants to work under a leaking roof during monsoon season! A Reconciled World board member, John Watson, was visiting at the time and was able to help dedicate the building, encourage the staff, and pray for the work.

GEM started a new branch office in Rajasthan at the beginning of the year and is planning to add four more branches there. The initial work involves surveying the environment, interviewing the police, talking to the residents, and checking if there are other MFIs in the area to determine if it is a suitable place to set up an office. The general interest of clients in this locality is arts, crafts and clothes.

GEM is also aiming to double the clients of existing branches. This is a great challenge because it means they need to double their field officers. While there are plenty of people looking for work, it has proven difficult to find employees because, as soon as they hear the values GEM asks its employees to uphold, many of them leave. Working in the financial field in Delhi with honesty, integrity, and fairness sounds impossible to most people. GEM goes against the grain among other MFIs with its values and practices. It’s not easy, and often it takes years to see fruit, but GEM’s leadership is committed to honesty and transparency, and God has been faithful to honor that. Continuous training of new and existing staff on values and truthful work practices is crucial in order for these values to take root and impact clients.