What was the initiative?

Jennifer’s Pathy Fellowship project was the implementation of an individualized micro-finance program in the Northern Central Region of Laos. She worked with individuals and families to identify financial circumstances and goals, and supported participants in the development of an individualized financial plan. Individualized plans included factors such as productivity and yields in farming, new business development, income diversification, and saving strategies. In order to support participants in achieving their financial goals, interest-free loans, and continual support through all stages of loan borrowing and repayment was provided.

What was the community connection?

Jennifer’s connection began in 2010. Prior to the Fellowship, she had spent time living in and visiting Laos, building relationships with community members and families across professional, social, and cultural contexts. Gradually, Jennifer began her work in Na Som, and she also worked to establish further connections in the surrounding area. Since 2015, Jennifer has continued to strengthen her relationships within her Fellowship community through post-Fellowship capacities.

How was it innovative?

Jennifer’s Fellowship worked to improve financial inclusivity and sustainability in Northern Central Laos through using a participant-led approach. Through dedicated capacity-building efforts, participants gained higher self-awareness of assets, needs and goals. Participants also led goal setting and a context analysis to inform the direction of the project. Through the development of a financial analysis tool, Jennifer worked with community members to enhance individualized and contextually relevant financial literacy self-reliance. Notably, the participant-led approach of Jennifer’s project also enabled additional community priorities – such as community health and youth engagement – to be addressed.

What is Jennifer doing now?

As of November 2021, Jennifer is a Doctoral Candidate at McGill University, working at the intersections of feminist and development geographies. She currently works with ethnic Hmong in Thailand, the same ethnic group that she worked with during her Pathy Fellowship in Laos. Following the Fellowship, Jennifer also completed a Master’s in Human Geography at the University of Toronto.