Introduction
We are a student-run club that seeks to promote the concept of microfinance on the campus of our university. Microfinance is an innovative poverty alleviation programme, which provides basic financial services, such as credits, savings, or insurances to the poor unable to borrow money from formal banks due to factors such as lack of collateral. These loans, or so-called microcredits, offer the loan-borrowers a unique way out of poverty, as it enables them to establish a small self-sustaining business allowing them to pay back the money including the interest rates. Microfinance has generated numerous success stories and has proven to be one of the most effective poverty reduction strategies.
As of the fall of 2011, St. Andrews has its very own Oikos chapter. Oikos St. Andrews designates the affiliation of the St. Andrews Microfinance Society (STAMF) with the world-wide network of Oikos International. While in the past, STAMF has oriented itself towards the alleviation of poverty and the promotion of small and ethical enterprise, the society has now expanded its field of vision to incorporate the responsible and sustainable conduct of medium and large-scale enterprises. Throughout this academic year and over the course of those to come, we hope to share and incorporate the Oikos vision and mission statements and, in return, to make our own individual contribution to the network of Oikos international. Please see below, the vision and mission statements of Oikos International.
Oikos Vision
Oikos stands at the forefront of a growing momentum towards sustainable development at universities around the world. As a leading reference point for the promotion of sustainability change agents, oikos members from various academic backgrounds inspire students of Management and Economics on a global scale and advance the integration of sustainable development into teaching and research at their faculties.
Oikos Mission
Our Mission is to strengthen action competence for sustainable development among tomorrow’s decision makers.
To target this objective, we
- increase awareness for sustainability opportunities and challenges focussing on students of management and economics
- foster their ability not only to analyse long-term economic, environmental and social trends, but also implement sustainability driven innovation
- create institutional support for these learning processes through the integration of sustainability issues in research and teaching at the world’s faculties for management and economics.
For Further information, please visit: http://www.oikos-international.org/ .