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Cocoa sits at the centre of Côte d’Ivoire’s rural economy. It provides income to millions of smallholder farmers, yet it remains a fragile livelihood. Price volatility, climate risks, delayed payments and limited access to finance continue to shape daily uncertainty for farming households.

Microfinance plays a vital role in Nicaragua’s economic and social development, especially in rural communities where traditional banking services remain out of reach. Over the past decades, the sector has grown significantly, with a strong focus on group lending and social responsibility.

Thirty years ago, Alterfin began with a simple but demanding idea: money should serve people — not the other way around. At the time, this was not a slogan. It was a choice. And it was a cooperative choice.

After the retroactive abolition of tax reduction, Alterfin is introducing 'Human Yield': a transparency model that translates investments in microfinance and sustainable agriculture into measurable socio-economic outcomes.

Everyone agrees that investing should pay off. But while most lending institutions stop at financial returns, Alterfin is primarily interested in human yield: the “human return” on its investments.

In the Philippines, Kennemer Foods works hand in hand with nearly 20,000 smallholder farmers to transform local agriculture. Understanding the dynamics of the land, building trust with communities, and relying on a network of “Cacaopreneurs” - this is their strategy to spread virtuous farming practices… and reap the benefits.

‍Thanks to the incredible commitment of our engaged co-op members, including the ones who joined us during this campaign, our solidarity initiative celebrating Alterfin’s 30th anniversary has been a true triumph!

Faced with a complex political context and budget cuts, organisations active in international cooperation have every interest in joining forces. That is why this year we are running a joint campaign with the NGOs Humundi (formerly SOS Faim) and Rikolto. With a rich shared history, our approaches are highly complementary. So it's no surprise that we have a few partners in common. Two examples in Peru are Arariwa and Casil.

Alterfin’s 30th anniversary also marks three decades of collaboration with organizations that, like us, are committed to fair finance, sustainable development, and equal opportunities for all.