On September 30, 2010 ECLOF International became a member of the ACT Alliance. ACT Alliance was formed on January 1, 2010, bringing together more than 100 churches and church-related organizations from 65 countries. Members of the Alliance work together for positive and sustainable change in the lives of people affected by poverty and injustice through coordinated and effective humanitarian, development, and advocacy work.
Heifer International was founded in 1947, just one year after ECLOF, and the two organizations share a rich fund of common values. Heifer provides gifts of livestock and training to help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. A signal feature of their work is their view of the animals as “living loans” because in exchange for livestock and training, families agree to give one of their animal’s offspring to another family in need. Heifer calls this “Passing on the Gift”.
Oikocredit and ECLOF are two children of the same family: the ecumenical movement. While ECLOF dates back to 1946, Oikocredit was founded in 1975. Oikocredit is one of the world’s largest sources of private funding to the microfinance sector. Oikocredit lends working capital to microfinance institutions (MFIs) all over the world. In turn, the MFIs dispense life-changing loans to the poor and disadvantaged, with a special emphasis on rural areas and women.
