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Alterfin is a Belgian social cooperative that finances social enterprises worldwide, focusing on microfinance institutions and sustainable smallholder agriculture organizations. With nearly 6,000 cooperative members, they invest in organizations that help the most disadvantaged people develop economic activities and generate sustainable incomes across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
The organization operates as a cooperative financed by individuals and companies, offering everyone an investment opportunity to generate positive social, environmental, and economic impact. Their mission centers on what they call "Human Yield" - a return measured in improved lives, dignity, resilience, and humanity rather than just financial returns.
Alterfin has established itself as a significant player in the impact investment ecosystem over 30 years of operation, with 70.8 million euros in capital and a diverse membership base of 5,711 individual cooperative members and 190 companies and organizations. Their approach enables people to invest in entrepreneurs and farmers they might never meet but whose lives change through access to opportunities in regions where traditional banking channels don't exist or don't meet micro-entrepreneurs' needs.
Alterfin invests in two primary types of organizations: microfinance institutions (MFIs) that work at the heart of local communities offering loans, insurance, and savings products to micro-entrepreneurs, and sustainable smallholder agriculture organizations ranging from cooperatives to small- and medium-sized agricultural enterprises. Their approach focuses on supporting organizations that help the most disadvantaged people develop economic activities where traditional banking channels are unavailable or inadequate.
Geographically, Alterfin targets Latin America, Africa, and Asia, focusing on regions where access to opportunities is scarce but ambition is abundant. They define impact through their "Human Yield" concept, measuring success in terms of improved lives, increased dignity, and enhanced resilience of farmers and entrepreneurs who move from survival mode to planning their futures and achieving economic stability.

Photo credit: Alterfin
Human Yield Focus
Measures returns through improved lives, dignity, and resilience rather than just financial metrics.
Cooperative Structure
6,000 co-op members collectively invest €70.8 million to democratize impact investing opportunities.
Dual Investment Strategy
Targets both microfinance institutions and sustainable agriculture organizations for comprehensive community impact.
Leverage Through Loans
Loan structure creates virtuous cycle where repayments enable funding of additional projects, multiplying impact.
Focus areas
Investment stages
Locations