Rotary International

District 6270

E-Club

The 4 Way Test

  1. Is it the truth?
  2. Is it fair to all concerned?
  3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
  4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Irkutz Revolving Loan Fund

Private farming was abolished by the Soviets in the 1920's, as it was the farmers who were the most independent and posed one of the greatest threats to the communists. When Russia became the Soviet Union, private farming was a large and prosperous industry. The rebirth of private farming in the former Soviet Union is slow going, and farmers have the same difficulties as farmers all over the world with cash flow, collateral and loan making. Their situation is made more difficult by the fact that they cannot mortgage their land.

This project focused on the Irkutsk area of Siberia, Russia. It arose from the belief that helping persons in the agricultural sector would help to stimulate and grow the Russian economy and educate farmers in improved farming and business management practices.

The Fond du Lac-Irkutsk Rotary Revolving Loan Project for farmers in Irkutsk, Siberia completed a pilot round of loan giving in 2001 to establish the concept. The first matching grant round of loans was completed in June 2003 and the second matching grant which included farmers and small businesses was completed in 2005. Following the Rotary's guidelines for Revolving Loans, the loans to three groups of 5-8 farmers each were supervised and trained by Rotarians and the local non-profit organization (Fund ARROW-RU) which administers the fund. The loans were used to increase livestock, purchase seed/fertilizer, repair and improve farm buildings, increase land holdings, and start-up or expand small businesses such as a granary/packaging company and a medical diagnostic business.

In fulfilling the Rotary motto of Service Above Self through this project, Rotarians worked to bring better understanding and cooperation between the United States of American and Russia.


Funds from the project assisted in building new barns...

Fond du Lac Morning and Irkutsk Rotary Clubs monitored the loan program for three years.


...improving green houses...

Members of the Fond du Lac Morning Rotary traveled to Irkutsk, Russia to administer the project. The Rotarians visited the sites of persons who were seeking to become involved in the Rotary Revolving Loan Project. Small, short-term loans (6 months to one year) were made to participants that were approved and agreed to the terms of the loan.

While this is no longer an active program of the Fond du Lac Morning Rotary, the loan program continues under the watchful eye of the Fund ARROW-RU, the Russian ngo (non-governmental organization) cooperating organization which is a subsidiary of the ARROW Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3) in Fond du Lac WI. The fund has current assets of about $50,000, with the average loan between $1,000-$3,000.


...and assisting farmers with various improvement projects.