SEM HOMEPAGE

THE SEM FUND
ADVANCES THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND BUSINESS SKILLS OF LOW-INCOME VILLAGERS THROUGH MICROFINANCE LOANS AND BUSINESS TRAINING.
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The SEM Fund, or the Senegal Ecovillage Microfinance Fund, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to alleviating poverty by providing affordable business loans aimed at strengthening the business skills and livelihoods of highly motivated microentrepreneurs that lack access to the commercial banking system.  Currently, our focus is the thirty-eight poverty-stricken villages in the West African nation of Senegal, which are a part of the Global Ecovillage Network, Senegal. 

The SEM Fund’s mission is to help break the cycle of poverty afflicting the people of developing countries.  We are based on the premise that effective and sustainable development can be achieved by opening up opportunities for poor people to control their own economic futures.  We do not provide handouts that create dependencies.

We believe that in order to generate the greatest impact, as much of our funding as possible should be used for the communities in which we work.  Therefore, donations to The SEM Fund go towards expanding our reach throughout Senegal and providing loans which once repaid will be loaned out again, thus creating a revolving loan fund.

As part of our commitment to complete transparency, The SEM Fund has had its operational information and financial reports audited by CICE Senegal and published by the MIX Market, a third-party microfinance reporting organization. Click here to review SEM's MIX Market Profile.


Featured Entrepreneur

Annia Badiane lives on the island of Carabane in the Casamance River, where the Diola people have developed a complex trading system in which each island village produces its own specialty good, such as dried shrimp or cashew wine.  Small-scale commerce is traditionally a women’s activity here, and the Diola women spend a lot of time crisscrossing the river in handmade wooden canoes to buy and sell the various island products. (more...)


What Clients Are Saying About SEM

"Since we received the SEM loan, our everyday life has changed a lot, because we have commercial activities that allow us to make money to meet our own needs and also take care of our children, as well as helping our husbands with school fees and food for the household. We are able to eat until our hunger is satisfied without worrying and without being afraid that some creditor will come looking for an overdue debt. We all thank SEM for being an organization that supports people in the fight against poverty in rural areas." (more...)