Whole Planet Foundation is Transforming Lives in Costa Rica

Written by Max Goldberg on February 27, 2012. Follow Max on Twitter: @livingmaxwell.

Last week in Costa Rica, I visited with some women entrepreneurs who are receiving microloans from the Whole Planet Foundation, a non-profit organization of Whole Foods.

I have written about the Whole Planet Foundation before and the amazing job that it is doing around the world but meeting the loan recipients in-person gave me a much greater appreciation for the impact that this program is having.

Women entrepreneurs from impoverished communities receive loans, starting at a few hundred dollars, to start businesses – baking, sewing, buying animals, running a small store, etc. With a 98% success rate (only 2% of the loans default), this incremental revenue plays an essential role in improving the well-being and welfare of thousands of families.

In conjunction with Grameen, the local partner in Costa Rica, the Whole Planet Foundation is giving hard-working, honest and responsible women access to capital that they never had before, and as a result, lives are being completely transformed.

Needless to say, I was very touched by what I saw and walked away an even bigger fan of the Whole Planet Foundation. Awesome work!

5 Comments

Good morning

My name is Katherine Aguilera. I am the office manager of ACRG Guácimo.

I am glad to see the report on our activities. I hope we can get more visitors, so they can learn about us.

Thank you very much for your time.
Katherine

Written by Katherine Aguilera on February 28, 2012 @ 9:24 am
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Hi Katherine,

Thanks for your comment, and I am happy to help. A video about Puerto Viejo is going up soon!!

Pura Vida!

Live well,
Max

Written by Max Goldberg on February 28, 2012 @ 9:32 pm
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Hola Maxwell! Thanks for sharing the video and information on the Whole Planet Foundation and the work they’re doing in Costa Rica. You mentioned you have a video on Puerto Viejo going up? Would you post a link please? I used to live there and I would love to see my old home town. Thanks again!
pura vida,
Dawna

Written by Dawna on September 1, 2013 @ 2:10 pm
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Hi Dawna,

My pleasure!! Here is the link on Puerto Viejo. Enjoy!! http://livingmaxwell.com/puerto-viejo-costa-rica-organic

Written by Max Goldberg on September 1, 2013 @ 2:12 pm
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[…] few years ago, I documented my visit to the Whole Planet Foundation in Costa Rica and am a HUGE fan of what this organization is […]

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