Partner Article

Time to celebrate finance heroes in the UK

A new UK awards scheme is launched today, to find and celebrate the microentrepreneurs and microfinance heroes in our communities.

It will shine a spotlight on those who are tackling poverty and building aspiration in our deprived neighbourhoods.

The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards runs in 30 countries to highlight the life-changing work of microfinance organisations and the essential jobs and wealth created by the entrepreneurs they support.

The Citi Foundation has teamed up with the Community Development Finance Association (CDFA) to bring the awards to the UK for the first time.

Ben Hughes, Chief Executive of the CDFA said: “The 4.5 million microentrepreneurs in the UK face major barriers getting the finance they need to turn their business dream into reality. Families are also struggling to get credit and resorting to payday loans with cripplingly high interest charges.”

“The Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the heroes in our communities that are providing finance where it is most needed and promoting financial inclusion.”

Community lenders, the inspirational people who support them and the microentrepreneurs who have worked with them are all encouraged to apply for the awards. With a top prize of £20,000 competition will be fierce.

Bob Annibale, Global Director, Citi Microfinance and Community Development, said: “At Citi we recognise the growing importance of the community finance sector in the UK in expanding access to finance for underserved entrepreneurs.

“We are therefore bringing the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards to the UK for the first time this year, highlighting the impact microfinance is having here in the UK, as well as the achievements of the entrepreneurs supported by the community finance sector.”

Nominations for the Citi Microentrepreneurship awards can be made at www.cdfaawards.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by CDFA (Community Development Finance .