Join The Neo Fund Today Family!

Sustainable community development for the poorest of the poor


Join The Neo Fund Today Family!

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The NEO Fund kicks-off pilot lending program in India!

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The Neo Fund is all about our Borrowers.
Take a moment to meet a few of them here

link to power point of The NEO Fund model

View a presentation on The NEO Fund model here!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER

 

OUR MISSION …

… is to serve the poor through sustainable community development via micro-lending and child-aid programs in partnership with established local organizations in some of the most impoverished communities of the developing world. 

ABOUT US

Two Portland, Oregon businessmen established The Neo Fund in 2008 after a botched attempt at serving the poor just a year earlier. Determined to learn from those mistakes, they have developed a model which has proven successful in Nicaragua and is now expanding to other underserved communities around the globe. Read more about the lessons they learned here.

2023 ANNUAL REPORT

See it here!

 

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December 13th, 2023

The Neo Fund
This holiday season, YOU can help other moms like Joseline support her family with an income generating business! AND your gift continues to GIVE as a mom pays back her loan, and then your gift is loaned again to someone else. Click here to give to our YEAR END MATCHING CAMPAIGN and your gift will be DOUBLED! https://buff.ly/49IH4y2 Joseline is a busy mom living in an impoverished Nicaraguan community with two small children, ages 1 and 5. Through our Debbie Cohen Memorial Fund (@debbiec1015) she received free business training and $200 to start her dream business of selling shoes in her neighborhood. She comments: “I felt very happy and anxious to be able to start my business with capital to invest. Before I met the NEO Fund, I could only buy a few pairs of shoes at a time. Credit interest was so high, whatever I earned was hardly enough to pay back my loan. Now, [thanks to NEO's low interest and easy payment terms] I have a variety of styles and sizes of shoes available for sale for adult men and women and children, even luxury shoes. I now can support my children and improve my home!" Joseline's dreams are big: she plans to start selling her shoes at the social security offices on paydays and the large outdoor market, as well as from home! ... See MoreSee Less
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November 28th, 2023

The Neo Fund
This Giving Tuesday we celebrate our borrowers... women like Rina! She just paid off her first loan and is ready for another... low interest rates, free coaching, and a pay schedule SHE chooses. Those are reasons her friends want to borrow too. There are so many women in Nicaragua working hard to care for their own families who want to start or grow their small business. Will you help give them the opportunity? These women prefer a hand-up over a handout!And! For a limited time, your gift will be doubled, thanks to generous donors who put up a $6,000 match for our year-end campaign! See how our challenge is progressing! Click here, https://buff.ly/49IH4y2 and if you are feeling blessed, please consider helping us meet our goal! ... See MoreSee Less
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November 22nd, 2023

The Neo Fund
What are we thankful for this Thanksgiving? You! Because of you there is more gladness, hope and opportunity in the world. This year we passed our 3000th loan and reached $750,000 extended in loans to the poorest of the poor, lifting their lives, their fortunes and their spirits. You did that! The money came from NEO supporters and helped establish revolving funds in three countries. You also provided the resources to hire great field staff and trainers – it all came from you!As we approach the holidays, two of our long-time friends have put up $6000 in matching funds that will be invested where needed most in the next few weeks. That means that your holiday gift will be doubled up to $6000! If you give $10, we will get $20. If you give $100, we will get $200, etc. Will you please consider a holiday gift to help us achieve our full match? Click here to help us continue our work! https://buff.ly/49IH4y2 ... See MoreSee Less
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November 17th, 2023

The Neo Fund
Here's your chance to Double Your Gift!! Thanks to a few generous donors, we've been offered an opportunity to double donations up to $6,000. It's a tremendous way to double YOUR impact! Click here: https://buff.ly/49IH4y2 to participate and make a difference! And, thank you for being our partner! ... See MoreSee Less
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October 19th, 2023

The Neo Fund
Maria Isabel says NEO Fund training has taught her to understand inventory, save money, reinvest in her business, and keep good financial records. Her three loans have helped her build her once small business fraught with high-interest, demanding loans from everyday moneylenders. She lives and works in Ciudad Sandino — just on the outskirts of Managua, Nicaragua's capital city. She used to earn money as a domestic worker and did some sewing on the weekends for extra income. But with six children, she needed to find a way to work from home. She started a small grocery store selling candy, bread and coffee — but with the exorbitant fees from the everyday money lenders, she could not afford to grow her business. A friend told her about the NEO Fund, and three loans later, she not only offers basic groceries, but has expanded into health and beauty aids, clothing, home goods and sewing supplies! Because of her business, her neighbors save money by not having to travel into the city for these items. The NEO Fund, with YOUR help, changes families AND communities! Please consider helping other struggling moms like Maria Isabel today! https://buff.ly/3FpWvNw ... See MoreSee Less
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August 7th, 2023

The Neo Fund
Why is Rina smiling so broadly?? Two years ago, her family's income was a modest $85/month. She was struggling to run a small store in her modest cement block home in Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. Her only source of capital was a local loan shark, who charged her a high daily interest rate that – she says – “was choking me.” Unlike local loan sharks, our credit officers provide free business coaching in addition to the lowest loan rates in the country. Our team helped Rina identify products that were in-demand and profitable. Over the next two years, she paid off 6 loans, building her business a little larger each time. Now her average monthly income ranges between $97 and $111! It may not seem like a lot, but Rina’s hard work and the credit she got from NEO increased her family income by about 20%, making life a little easier for their family of 7. The day we visited, Rina made the last payment on her 6th loan. “Thank you,” she said, “for giving me this opportunity!” YOU, too, can make a real difference by funding a loan that will get repaid again and again! It's a gift that literally keeps on giving! https://buff.ly/3s2ahmd #microfinance#womenentrepreneurs#womenatwork#Nicaragua#nonprofit ... See MoreSee Less
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August 2nd, 2023

The Neo Fund
Just what secrets of success are taught in our training program? Ruth can tell you! Read her story on page 2 in our latest newsletter! https://buff.ly/3QmPfJ2 #microlending#microfinance#nicaragua#businesstraining#entrepreneurwomen#businesswomen ... See MoreSee Less
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April 27th, 2022

The Neo Fund
News from the field! Your gift will be doubled by a generous donor who is making a $5,000 match for gifts to our training program! Visit https://buff.ly/3N5uVaY to DOUBLE YOUR GIFT! 🤑 😍 😎 ... See MoreSee Less
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March 25th, 2022

The Neo Fund
EXCITING NEWS!!! One of our donors has been so impressed with our training program, they've pledged a $5,000 match!! We have until MAY 1st, to raise $5,000 which will be generously matched dollar for dollar. It's a great time to DOUBLE your giving impact! It's been a tough two years, and The NEO Fund has keenly felt the loss of one our ardent supporters. Her family has started a memorial fund through NEO to continue her passion of helping women succeed in business through our training program. And now, this $5,000 match to NEO's Debbie Cohen Memorial Fund (DCMF) will carry that vision forward! Because we are a 501(c)(3), your gift may also be tax-deductible. It's a win-win-win! Help us meet our goal by clicking here: https://buff.ly/3N5uVaY#matchinggift #theneofund #microlending #womenatrisk #businesstraining #communitydevelopment #nicaragua ... See MoreSee Less
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March 22nd, 2022

The Neo Fund
Meet Maritza! Business Training from The NEO Fund changed her life.Years ago, she had a little pulperia, but it just wasn't profitable. Then, she took a job cleaning the local church for $40/month which helped until she fell ill and could no longer manage. She needed a business where she could work from home, but her past failures made her skeptical. Then, her local church referred her to The NEO Fund’s free training program. With guidance from our trainer, Ivania, she started out with just a table and a small loan. But through the training program, she learned to use her profits to expand. Our credit officer Gridian coached her too. With a second loan she bought a shelf to introduce more products. Then later she took out another loan to buy a freezer to sell cold drinks. She told us, "You guys opened the door for me. I had taken loans before NEO Fund, but my business didn’t succeed. That’s because then I didn’t have advisors like Ivania and Gridian.” YOU can help more women like Maritza break the cycle of handouts! Visit https://buff.ly/3CT3qg2 and choose Debbie Cohen Memorial Fund in the 'Apply my gift to…'. This will designate your gift to our Training Program in Nicaragua.#BusinessTraining #nonprofit #womenempowerment #communitydevelopment #nonprofit #microlending ... See MoreSee Less
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March 18th, 2022

The Neo Fund
Our Business Training program is opening doors to transformation! Meet Elizabeth. She came to us through our partnership with Solidarity Network, which works with women subjected to domestic abuse. We were so surprised to learn this outgoing, confident woman was, just a year ago, shy and introverted. Starting and succeeding in her business has completely changed her, and she credits our trainer, Ivania. Under her guidance, Elizabeth created a plan for a little business selling a few snacks to children to help supplement her family's income. They created a budget and Elizabeth nervously borrowed $100 to start her venture selling snacks to the school kids. With help from Ivania and our Credit Officer Gridian, her business took off and she even paid off her initial loan early! She then borrowed $200 to expand her inventory to include school supplies. She's now on her third loan and her confidence is through the roof! She says her family is amazed by the change in her — and they treat her with much more respect. Way to go, Elizabeth!She is pictured in the blue blouse first with our credit officer Gridian showing her carefully kept books, and in the group picture with Solidarity Network leadership, our Trainer, Ivania, and Gridian. #womenempowerment #microlending #communitydevelopment #nonprofit ... See MoreSee Less
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February 4th, 2022

The Neo Fund
Three years ago, Olga went bankrupt because of the exorbitant interest and predatory practices of the loan sharks prevalent among the poor barrios. When she met The NEO Fund, everything changed! After 5 NEO Fund loans and free coaching by our team, her pulperia by the bus stop in Cristo Rey is booming! "Thank you so much for trusting me and giving me a second chance!" she said tearfully. ... See MoreSee Less
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February 2nd, 2022

The Neo Fund
Meet Sylvia! Stricken with polio as a little girl, she has always had the odds stacked against her. But this strong woman played basketball as a teen and now volunteers her time representing 26 other differently-abled women in her community. She learned about our training program through a local church and applied to participate. She couldn’t believe she was selected! Under Ivania’s tutelage, she is starting a business selling seasonal items not readily available in her neighborhood. She has worked out a budget for her loan of $250. Sylvia’s short-term goal is to save $200 over six months to buy a plot for a house. And in time, she wants to open a savings account in a bank! Congratulations , Sylvia! We are rooting for you!Our training program IS making a difference! Please consider a gift to help more women like Sylvia: theneofund.org/needs ... See MoreSee Less
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January 29th, 2022

The Neo Fund
Day 1 in Nicaragua. A day of team building with our excellent local staff! We did communication exercises and the staff gave individual SWOT Analysis for their positions. Then we combined them for a group one. NEO USA learned so much valuable insight from this exercise! A great day all around! ... See MoreSee Less
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December 30th, 2021

The Neo Fund
A very happy New Year from our lovely, loving NEO Fund Nicaragua staff! They've just concluded their annual evaluation meeting and shared the following photo with us. We are SO THANKFUL for the work they do. The NEO Fund keeps down overhead costs by using local talent to work locally. We have an amazing, talented team bringing great experience in microlending. Left to right: Gridian (credit officer), Uberne (accountant), Byron (credit officer), Ivania (business trainer) and Dr. Francisco (The NEO Fund Director of Microfinance). Want to support the incredible work they do? Visit theneofund.org/needs. It's not too late to make your 2021 tax deductible donation! ... See MoreSee Less
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November 30th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Let Mayerli inspire YOU this Giving Tuesday!Mayerli, 26, joined our entrepreneurial training program in Nicaragua last May. Before that, the family of three barely survived on an average family income of $1.56 per day, which Mayerli’s spouse earned by carrying bananas to a market. Mayerli learned about the NEO Fund through our two local partners – Forward Edge International and Orphan Network. Tutored by our business trainer, she started a tiny tortilla business using her loan to buy corn and a grinding machine. The new business yielded about $5 per day, dramatically increasing the family fortunes. In the six months since then, Mayerli continued to improve. She moved the tortilla operation to the street side of her house, added beans and cheese to her menu, and bought plastic chairs so her customers could sit down. Today her average daily income is $9.66 – a dramatic increase since she discovered the NEO Fund. “The training program,” she says, “was very important to me because it taught me how to grow my business and manage my money.”The NEO Fund makes a difference in the lives of the poor every day. We have nearly 600 active borrowers like Mayerli and that number continues to grow. On this Giving Tuesday will you please consider a gift of any size to help us serve more even more families? Your gift today will help change someone’s life tomorrow. Visit https://theneofund.networkforgood.com to make your tax-deductible donation today! ... See MoreSee Less
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November 10th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Though we are not actively lending in Haiti right now, one of our partners continues to serve the most vulnerable people in Port-au-Prince. Like Julio. He lost his mother when he was 2 days old. Now he is 4. His father is an alcoholic and when our partner found him he had no shoes and was very hungry. Now he goes to school and gets two nutritious meals a day. Like to help? You can give to our Community Fund online at https://theneofund.networkforgood.com/. ... See MoreSee Less
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October 28th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Barre, 35, says she is "the backbone and primary breadwinner" for her family of 4 in southern India. A proud owner of a treadle sewing machine and a popular seamstress of clothing for women and girls, she took a micro-loan from the NEO Fund to buy fabric and other supplies to grow. "I want to earn my own money," she says, "and become self-sustaining by earing a decent wage."Since she took her small loan, Barre's earnings grew from $2.65 to $3.60 a day on average, an increase of about a dollar a day. "Thank you," she says, "this income is essential for us."NEO and our partners invest in hardworking women like Barre every day. ... See MoreSee Less
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October 20th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Maritza lives in Nueva Vida, a poor barrio in Nicaragua. A woman with five children, Maritza discovered NEO through our partnership with #OrphaNetwork, a local charity focused on child aid. Our trainer helped Maritza create a business plan to start a small produce market. She took a loan of $160 and began to sell watermelon, pineapples, bananas, onions, peppers, chayotes, potatoes and carrots from her home. When her business took off she quickly paid off her loan and took another for $320. In her first year as an entrepreneur, Maritza's income has increased from $2.38 to $16.28 per day. NEO helps the poorest of the poor build better lives for themselves and their children every day. ... See MoreSee Less
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July 22nd, 2021

The Neo Fund
For years Vanka ran a tiny grocery store in her home, selling staples, vegetables, and snacks. It was one of the only stores in her village of Kunuru and she made a modest profit of about $1 a day. When NEO started offering loans to women in Kunuru, Vanka eagerly sought a loan of $150 with a 10-month term to increase the inventory in her store. Since then, her profits increased to a little over $2 a day – doubling her income. Vanka says, “I see the benefit of this loan every day. It has helped provide financial security for my family. Thank you!” ... See MoreSee Less
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July 15th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Update: INDIA!Juvvadi’s treadle sewing machine allows her to provide for her family. Her specialty is to sew women’s blouses and dresses, which she sells for about $2 each. Before her loan, the business earned Juvvadi about $1 a day. She used her loan to purchase a large supply of fabric, thread, cloth, and patterns. These resources allowed her to increase her income to a new average of $2.02 a day. Furthermore, she now has the supplies she needs to provide custom clothing for special events like weddings, which will allow her to further increase her income. Juvvadi says her loan from NEO has increased their monthly family income from $32 to $54 per month! ... See MoreSee Less
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July 8th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Update: INDIA!!Gimidi, a housewife, learned to make inexpensive jewelry years ago to earn some money of her own and support her family’s income. Her problem was she never had enough money to buy materials, which limited her earning capacity. Gimidi’s loan from NEO helped change that. Her profit per sale has increased by about $1 per piece and her monthly income is up from about $50 a month to more than $80. “During the pandemic I am so grateful to have work I can continue to do at home,” she says. ... See MoreSee Less
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July 1st, 2021

The Neo Fund
Highlight: India!! Meet Evans. Her family owns a few buffaloes, and her job is to care for them, milk them and sell the milk. The buffaloes give about 2-3 liters of milk a day and she sells it for 50 cents a liter. In this way she supplements her family income by about $1 - 1.50 a day. Milk is a popular commodity in the village because people prefer fresh buffalo milk to powdered milk, the only other option.When NEO started making loans in her village, Evans had an idea. She used her loan to supplement the buffaloes diet. Before, grazing was their only food source, but Evans used the loan money to buy nutritious hay and grain. The gamble paid off! Milk production increased to 4 or 5 liters a day, increasing Evan’s income by one third to about $81 a month! ... See MoreSee Less
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March 8th, 2021

The Neo Fund
Happy International Women's Day! Did you know that 97% of our borrowers are women? Yet we hope to never lend to these young girls. Why? Because our plan is for their moms to have climbed out of the cycle of poverty through free business training and below market loans from The NEO Fund. ... See MoreSee Less
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January 16th, 2021

The Neo Fund
The Neo Fund ... See MoreSee Less
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December 1st, 2020

The Neo Fund
Woot! Woot! Giving Tuesday is here! To kick off our year-end campaign, two donors have offered a $5,000 match each — for a total of $10,000!Making this match will put $20,000 in our Community Contingency Fund which goes toward child feeding, health care, and emergencies like COVID and natural disasters.It's a Win-Win!! Click to make a difference today! theneofund.org/needs ... See MoreSee Less
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July 8th, 2020

The Neo Fund
Meet Elisabeth, one of our entrepreneurial borrowers in the Guadalupe neighborhood of Managua. When COVID came to Nicaragua, her business as a seamstress was hit hard. But in an example of quick thinking and flexibility, she started making face masks. Now she's doing a brisk business in the commodity, turning hardship into opportunity; making lemons into lemonade. Kudos, Elisabeth! ... See MoreSee Less
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May 29th, 2020

The Neo Fund
Here is an excerpt in a recent field report from our Nicaraguan staff on how they are dealing with COVID (while the government still denies its presence): "We maintain constant communication with our clients, both to know their economic, social and health condition. Among the information we have managed to collect are the care measures that some of our clients are taking at the moment to safeguard their families. The case of Doña Gloria María García Artola, owner of a grocery store in Cristo Rey, has surprised us, because she has not only covered the gates of her business with transparent plastic, but has also placed a bucket with chlorine to disinfect both coins and notes (fortunately, most of the banknotes of national circulation are plastic, with the exception of NIO 1,000.00 bills). We attach a video of the ones we have in our files showing how Doña Gloria works inside her business. ... See MoreSee Less
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April 25th, 2020

The Neo Fund
From the frontline in India: Our partners at work. You can help by visiting theneofund.org/needs and note India-COVID in the message box. Thank you! ... See MoreSee Less
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January 28th, 2020

The Neo Fund
Today we deepened our long-time partnership with ORPHANetwork! This is Jahaira and her two children Joseling and Jiro. She is one of our first loan applicants in the ONet's Ciudad Sandino location. A big thank you to David Nicaragua and Pastor Freddy for hosting us today! ... See MoreSee Less
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December 3rd, 2019

The Neo Fund
On Giving Tuesday, we want to thank our India supporters who made our first year of micro-lending in Andhra Pradesh possible! Here are some of the many women from the SHGs (Self-Help Groups) who are benefitting from low-interest loans through a caring, friendly lending team! ... See MoreSee Less
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December 3rd, 2019

The Neo Fund
It's Giving Tuesday ... In celebration of our donors' gifts, here's another success story! Johanna has been a borrower for only two years. But in that time, her monthly income has increased from less than $15/day to almost $65/day thanks to the expert coaching from our NEO Nica lending team. In the beginning, she used her first loan to expand from fresh fruits and vegetables to include snacks and firewood. Now, several loans later, she has new cases, shelving, and a freezer. And, she pays her loans off ahead of schedule! She credits the kindness, friendship, and advice of Jhonatan and Gridian for her growth. ... See MoreSee Less
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December 3rd, 2019

The Neo Fund
This Giving Tuesday, we want to THANK YOU, our donors, for giving women like Dora a chance to make changes! You'll recognizer her as one of our borrowers who had a store in Cristo Rey. With all of the political unrest last year, she could no longer profit from her store. THANKS to YOU, and our NEO Nica team, she has transitioned to recycling. She sorts, cleans, and sells plastics. She says that although the work is harder, it is turning out to be more profitable than the store she ran for several years. ... See MoreSee Less
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November 28th, 2019

The Neo Fund
In Haiti, India and Nicaragua this week, hungry children have nutritious food and clean water because of the generosity of NEO Fund friends and supporters. From our family to yours, thank you and Happy Thanksgiving! ... See MoreSee Less
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October 7th, 2019

The Neo Fund
Alba learned to sew when she was a little girl by watching a seamstress at work through a tiny hole in the shop wall. Eventually, with only scissors, needle and thread, she taught herself how to disassemble various items of clothing and re-sew them back together perfectly. As an older woman, drawing on the skills she learned in childhood, she has taken a loan from The NEO Fund to establish her own business as a seamstress and dressmaker. “The NEO Fund,” she says, “has been a blessing from God.” ... See MoreSee Less
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September 26th, 2019

The Neo Fund
NEO Fund Strategic Advisor Bob Truitt tries out the produce cart our borrower Santos uses in Cristo Rey, Nicaragua every day. Santos said, “My relationship with NEO has been wonderful. You helped me get out of the debts that were choking me.” NEO offers the lowest cost credit to help entrepreneurs like Santos change their own lives. ... See MoreSee Less
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August 22nd, 2019

The Neo Fund
Our partners in India have been sending us dire photos of extreme flooding of the Krishna River along Vijayawada's rural areas. Hundreds living in slum dwellings along the river have been displaced, and food is desperately needed! Please consider a donation of $25, $50, or more to help an already impoverished family with basic food supplies! Thank you! ... See MoreSee Less
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July 9th, 2019

The Neo Fund
It’s hot! The mercury hit 116 degrees in Pedapatnam, India, where our partner runs a regional health center. No one we serve has air conditioning, and patients like Santhamma, shown with our community health worker, are at increased risk of heat stroke and heat exhaustion, dehydration and other troubles. But, thanks to you, the clinic, which serves the communities where NEO offers micro-loans to the poor, continues its work. ... See MoreSee Less
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May 7th, 2019

The Neo Fund
How to feed 200 hungry people in Nicaragua: Step Four - Add tortilla, wrap and serve with fresh juice and ice cream, all made by NEO Fund borrower entrepreneurs! ... See MoreSee Less
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May 7th, 2019

The Neo Fund
How to feed 200 hungry people in Nicaragua: Step Three - Beans ... See MoreSee Less
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May 7th, 2019

The Neo Fund
How to feed 200 hungry people in Nicaragua: Step Two - Chicken (75 pounds of it!) ... See MoreSee Less
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May 7th, 2019

The Neo Fund
How to feed 200 hungry people in Nicaragua: Step One - Rice ... See MoreSee Less
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May 6th, 2019

The Neo Fund
Wonderful day in Cristo Rey, Nicaragua with great partners, Julie Dodge, Jhonatan Alaniz, Marcos Velazquez, Jimmy Espinoza, Dean AndWinnie Peters and the awesome team from #cupdx. More than 200 received medical care (and toothbrushes! and toothpaste!) and a delicious hot lunch, made entirely by NEO Fund borrower entrepreneurs. ... See MoreSee Less
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May 4th, 2019

The Neo Fund
With Julie Dodge and #cupdx medical service team in Managua with our fabulous hosts Dean AndWinnie Peters. After four hours we have already seen more than 100 patients with: skin problems, infectious bronchitis, high blood pressure, dehydration, wounds and all kinds of other health problems. ... See MoreSee Less
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