So… how did we do this year? I have three answers for you….

First, MEDA touched the lives of more people then ever before! MEDA programs brought hope to 2,781,005 women and men this year. These are our direct clients – people that receive a service or benefit directly as a result from our work.

This is a living number – people with lives, hopes, dreams and families. People like Talut in Pakistan who now has a market for her intricate embroidery; Bizoro in Tajikistan who can feed her family and mentor others in the community because of her new greenhouse business; or Juliana whose family farm in Nicaragua might be able to now sustain the next generation. There are literally 2,781,005 stories of people that now have a little more hope and a few more choices because of MEDA.

Second, MEDA works efficiently! While the average loan given is $150 a person, MEDA manages the project load by leveraging our capacity for greater efficiency. We are able to match our donations with contracts and then match those with partner work. That is a triple win for everyone!

When you look at our total number of clients compared with our total revenues for this year, it only cost us $4.57 to bring this hope to one woman or man. Within this $4.57 per client are all of our administration, offices, travel, computers, board work and management. And that figure is for the total revenues for MEDA. The number is even more staggering when you look only at the MEDA income from contributions. As a MEDA member and supporter every 95 cents you contribute empowers one man or one woman!

Hearing the impact on the lives of Talut, Bizoro and Juliana shows how far we can take a dollar. Imagine what we could do with even more!

Third, this hope does not end when MEDA moves on. MEDA helps people sustain their own economic development. In Haiti, Bolivia, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Toledo and other places there are microfinance institutions, training programs, marketing companies, shoe factories and processing plants that were started by MEDA. These businesses are successfully sustaining hundreds of thousands of people. Because of wise investment into the lives of people, their ability to support themselves continues. These people are no longer directly connected to MEDA, but they continue to bring economic oxygen to millions of people long after we have gone on to the next project.

In the coming years some of the 2.8 million people we impacted this year will continue to get their hope from a business or institution that no longer is officially part of MEDA. This collective number is rising daily – even hourly. It would be fascinating to know just how many people that MEDA’s past and current programs and businesses are impacting even while you read these words. That number would be beyond staggering, maybe even unbelievable!

So – how did we do this year? MEDA reached more people this year then any other year. MEDA did this with efficiency and with solutions that will bring hope long term.

But all this said maybe the question is wrong. Maybe the question should not be how we did, but how much more we can still do.

Imagine what more MEDA could do!

That is something you can help us answer!