MEDA Annual Report – 2006

Executive View

MEDA is an association of leaders... in our businesses, our communities, our churches, and our development programs around the world. To lead is to influence change. As leaders, we have the opportunity to Set the Pace. MEDA’s members are entrepreneurs who work together to help others reach their God-given potential. Investing in business goes far beyond our own ventures – it stretches to helping women in Pakistan access better markets for their embroidery; farmers in Nicaragua to access the capital they need to grow; young entrepreneurs in North America to develop the skills and confidence to get into business; students in Egypt to work more safely while they help their families afford education; and mothers in Tanzania to buy insecticide-treated bed nets that protect them and their families from malaria.

But to lead is also a responsibility. We are called to lead in ways that our values are inseparable from our work. Our organizations’ credibility depends on our personal integrity in all matters and truly caring for those whom we serve – customers, partners, donors, clients, investors and everyone we encounter in our working life. We are called to lead in ways that honor God, because it is God who is ultimately in charge.

“Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting God set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.” (Romans 3:27 The Message)

It is our privilege to bring you this report of MEDA’s activities in fiscal year 2006. We are pleased to report that MEDA continues to be a leader in innovation for the poor – setting the pace for others to follow. Through our programs of economic development we served more than 2.6 million clients this year, in partnership with 173 organizations in 35 countries around the world. And those numbers do not even count the organizations that we worked with in the past who continue to provide thousands of entrepreneurs with financial, marketing and training services long after MEDA is no longer directly involved.

We are also very pleased that 2006 has been a year of continued growth for MEDA, with a positive bottom line. Total revenue increased by 25 percent to $13.7 million, while contributions from our members and donors increased six percent to $1.8 million and provided the valuable matching funds that we need to leverage contracts from governments and other donors. Our net surplus of $696,000 resulted primarily from generous grants and contributions to our Sarona Risk Capital Fund and some appreciation in the value of our investments.

We are immensely grateful to our members and our board who generously share their time, skills and resources to help MEDA set the pace. We invite you to share in this work.

Allan Sauder, President
John Yoder, Chair