SPBD's mission is to improve the quality of life of people living in poverty in the poor island nations of the South Pacific. Our first market is the independent island nation of Samoa, in the middle of the South Pacific. SPBD is a replication of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. The Grameen Bank, founded by Prof. Mohammed Yunus, is the pioneering organization in the field of micro finance.

Poor people in Samoa suffer from absolute poverty that is driven by a poverty of opportunity. This poverty of opportunity is based on the fact that there are few traditional waged employment opportunities available in Samoa. For most rural Samoans jobs just do not exist. SPBD provides small, unsecured loans to groups of rural women. Women invest their loans into businesses based on their existing livelihood skills.

SPBD's philosophy of lending is based on a respect for each individual's innate human ingenuity, drive and self esteem. It is these qualities which make people credit worthy, not the collateral which traditional banks demand. By providing access to capital, SPBD allows women and their families to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential.

 
SPBD utilizes the following Social Metrics Survey to determine the eligibility of prospective borrowers into its lending program as well as to determine the impact its programs are having on its clients. Borrowers are assessed across 4 main categories (detailed below) and rated on a 1 – 3 scale with 1 represent the LEAST positive score with 3 representing the BEST positive score. SPBD’s goal is to conduct Social Metrics Survey during every loan application so that it can evaluate the impact of its lending activities on its borrowers’ quality of life.

Given the comprehensive and personal nature of the Social Metrics Survey, SPBD has chosen only to include certain clients’ assessments in its borrower profiles when available. However, listed below are the specific metrics the organization assesses that compromise each of the different categories listed in the borrower profiles.

SUMMARY OF SPBD’S SOCIAL METRICS SURVEY

 Each of the 4 Social Categories listed below average the individual scores assigned to each metric within that category. The 4 categories are then averaged to produce an overall Social Metric Score for an individual borrower. SPBD prioritizes borrowers that have an overall Social Metric of 2.0 or lower as these clients represent a more vulnerable & poor population.

CATEGORY 1: HOUSING INDEX

 1. Size of Housing: 3 – Big; 2 – Medium; 1 – Small

 2. Condition of Housing: 3 – Strong; 2 – Old; 1 – Bad

 3. Condition of Roof: 3 – Best (New Galvanized Iron); 2 – Good (Old Galvanized Iron); 1 – Bad (Scraps, leaves, etc.)

 4. Condition of Post/Wall: 3 – Best (New Cement/Lumber); 2 – Good (Old Cement/Lumber); 1 – Bad (Scrap Lumber/Use Materials)

 5. Condition of Flooring: 3 – Best (New/Smooth Cement); 2 – Good (Old/Rough Cement); 1 – Bad (Partly Cemented/No Flooring)

 6. Condition of Toilet: 3 – Best (Flush with Cement/Tiled Floor); 2 – Good (Flush with Rough Flooring); 1 – Bad (Pit Toilet/None)

 7. Toilet Ownership: 3 – Owned; 2 – Shared; 1 – None

 8. Condition of Bathroom: 3 – Best (Proper Piping with Flooring); 2 – Good (No Piping with Rough Floor); 1 – Bad (No Bathroom)

 9. Bathroom Ownership: 3 – Owned; 2 – Shared; 1 – None

 10. Housing Ownership: 3 – Owned; 2 – Rented; 1 – Shared 

CATEOGRY 2: HOUSEHOLD INDEX

 1. Type of Asset: 3 – Luxury; 2 – Necessity; 1 – Inadequate

 2. Quantity: 3 – Extravagantly Furnished; 2 – Moderately Furnished; 1 – Barely Furnished

 3. Quality (Brand): 3 – Popular & Expensive; 2 – Popular but Cheap; 1 – Unknown Brand

 4. Physical Condition: 3 – New & Working; 2 – Old & Working; 1 – Damaged

 5. Age of Assets: 3 – New; 2 – Old; 1 – Obsolete

 6. Total Marketable Value: 3 - $110,000 WST+; 2 - $15,000 - $110,000 WST; 1 -

 7. Manner Assets Acquired: 3 – Purchased by Borrower; 2 – Purchased by Relatives; 1 – Gift or Inherited

 8. Ownership: 3 – Owned; 2 – Shared/Rented; 1 – None

 
CATEGORY 3: INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL STATUS INDEX

 1. Family Living Arrangement: 3 – Immediate Family; 2 –5 additional members; 1 – More than 5 additional members

 2. Marital Status: 3 – Single; 2 – Married; 1 – Divorced/Widowed

 3. Education: 3 – Tertiary; 2 – Secondary/Primary; 1 – Uneducated

 4. Number of Dependents: 3 – 0 to 3; 2 – 4 to 10; 1 – More than 10

 5. Ages of Dependents: 3 – 0 to 15 years; 2 – 16 to 25 years; 1 – 26+ years

 6. Health Condition: 3 – Very Healthy; 2 – Healthy; 1 – Sickly

 7. Length of Residency: 3 – More than 3 years; 2 – 1 to 3 years; 1 – Less than 1 year

 8. Family Reputation: 3 – Best; 2 – Good; 1 – Bad

 9. Community Reputation: 3 – Best; 2 – Good; 1 – Bad

 
CATEGORY 4: HOUSING INCOME INDEX

 1. Number of Earners in the Family: 3 – More than 3; 2 – 2 to 3; 1 – 1 or less

 2. Nature of Income: 3 – Regular; 2 – Contract/Casual more than 26 weeks a year; 1 – Contract/Casual less than 26 weeks a year

 3. Level of Total Household Income: 3 – Above $7,750 WST per week; 2 - $1,500 - $7,750 WST per week; 1 – Less than $1,500 WST per week