Page 41 - Islands Business June 2023

SPBD

SPBD Tonga also hosted its Annual Business Woman of the Year Awards
event in Nuku’alofa on June 2. SPBD Founder and President, Greg Casagrande,
shared words of encouragement to members. He urged women to keep their
dreams alive and pursue them every day; this includes having their children
obtain a complete education, including a tertiary education, as part of that
dream. The second was the importance of saving and investing. “Make a habit
of saving each week, and then invest in your businesses, in your children’s
education and in the healthiness of your home. These investments will yield
long-term benefits.” And third, he inspired them to seek to lead. “Lead your
business. Lead your children. For great leadership training opportunities, look
at taking up roles within your SPBD Group and your SPBD Centre.”
The chief guest of the event was The Honourable Dulcie Elaine Tei,
Tongatapu 6 Constituency People’s Representative and a female member
of Parliament. She acknowledged the hard work and commitment of SPBD
members and recognised their contributions to the overall development and
progress of the nation.
SPBD Tonga enlisted a new partner to offer its White Goods loan product on
Vava’u. The new partnership with Vava’u Shopping Center #2 enables SPBD to
reach out to the villages across Vava’u so that high-quality, affordable white
goods and major appliances will be accessible to these communities to uplift
FineTu’ipulotu, SPBD Tonga GM with BWOY awards finalists their living standards and increase their productivity.

SPBD Solomon Islands was the second SPBD
program to launch the Overseas Workers Loan (OWL)
product to provide seasonal workers access to credit
to assist them with the costs involved in participating
in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme
with New Zealand and Australia. General Manager
Raymond McCarthy said that the launching of the
OWL product is a major accomplishment for SPBD
Solomon Islands and a true testament to SPBD’s
commitment in providing accessible financial services
to the underserved segments of Solomon Islanders. On
June 30, SPBD Solomon Islands also launched its White
Goods Financing product in partnership with Discount
Electrical and Home Leisure (DEHL) to allow SPBD
clients to obtain access to high-quality items, such as
appliances, to increase SPBD clients’ productivity in Launching of new White Goods Financing product in Solomon Islands
their homes and businesses.

With generous support from the MicroDreams Foundation New
Zealand Humanitarian Trust, the team at SPBD Vanuatu successfully
carried out an extensive relief programme after Category 4 twin
cyclones, Judy and Kevin, devastated the country in March. The team
procured, packaged and delivered more than 2,270 relief kits, which
included food items and a cash component to families whose housing
and businesses were either damaged or destroyed. Team SPBD
Vanuatu is also focusing on providing recovery financing so members
can rebuild their business and housing. Later this year, the team plans
to expand its footprint on the island of Santo.

Distribution of Relief Kits in Vanuatu

Islands Business, June 2023 41
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