The Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI) and South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) have strengthened their partnership with the launch of a $5 million loan facility that aims to empower women entrepreneurs across Solomon Islands.
The loan facility was officially launched at the DBSI office in Honiara today, with the formal handover of a $5 million cheque to SPBD to expand microfinance opportunities for women, particularly those in rural communities.
Speaking at the launch, DBSI Chief Executive Officer, Mr Aisake Radu, expressed satisfaction with the partnership, highlighting SPBD’s growth and its increasing impact on women entrepreneurs.
Mr Radu said the number of women assisted by SPBD had increased from 2,046 in 2024 to 2,557 by the end of 2025.
He also highlighted an increase in the organisation’s reported net profit from $2.3 million to $3.9 million, while its loan portfolio grew from $9.4 million to $11.5 million over the same period.
“These are positive outcomes of our relationship. We are very happy with the growth of SPBD and the success it has achieved. Its success is also our success, and we are pleased to see this partnership continue to grow,” Mr Radu said.
He described the relationship as a genuine partnership that is producing positive results through increased support for women and small business development.
Meanwhile, SPBD Director, Mr Gregory Francis Casagrande, welcomed the new financing, describing it as a major step forward in the organisation’s efforts to empower women through microloans and small business training.
Mr Casagrande said SPBD provides small loans and business training to help women establish and expand income-generating activities, improve their family living conditions and support their children’s education.
He said the new $5 million financing will enable SPBD to reach an additional 1,250 women micro-entrepreneurs across Solomon Islands.
“We are particularly proud of our relationship with DBSI. This new financing will help us reach more women across the provinces,” Mr Casagrande said.
The initiative is expected to create more opportunities for rural women to access finance, develop small businesses and improve their household incomes.
Through the partnership, DBSI and SPBD aim to strengthen women’s economic participation while supporting grassroots entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development across the country.
Reprinted from: https://theislandsun.com.sb/dbsi-spbd-partnership-to-support-women-entrepreneurs
