International Finance Corporation (IFC)

http://www.ifc.org

The mission of IFC is to promote sustainable private sector investment in developing countries, helping to reduce poverty and improve people's lives. IFC finances private sector investments in the developing world, mobilizes capital in the international financial markets, helps clients improve social and environmental sustainability, and provides technical assistance and advise to governments and businesses. From its founding in 1956 through the 2004 financial year, IFC has committed more than $44 billion of its own funds and arranged $23 billion in syndications for 3,143 companies in 140 developing countries.
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 Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI)

http://www.ifc.org/gbi
http://www.pangemarket.com

The Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI) is a new IFC initiative to support innovative businesses that create sustainable economic opportunities for poor and marginalized people. GBI-supported businesses provide income, employment and training for disadvantaged people, bridging the gap to the global marketplace. GBI aims to have a catalytic impact in this emerging sector, building partnerships with like-minded groups and leveraging its position within the World Bank Group. At the business level, GBI provides a package of funding and technical assistance that strengthens GBOs, thereby expanding their impact at the grassroots level and leading to opportunities to replicate and scale-up assistance. The GBI uses this on-the-ground experience to inform its broader activities that support intermediaries and associations serving multiple GBOs as well as sharing experiences and lessons learned with clients and partners.

GBI has also established Pangea, a retail and educational facility opened in May 2006 at IFC headquarters in Washington, DC. To visit Pangea Online Store, please click here.
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