Martin Connell came to microfinance and development by way of the private sector. He brought his business perspective to philanthropy, a perspective that fired his curiosity to find non-subsidized ways of serving the industrious, if poor, self-employed people in developing countries.

Connell and his wife, Linda Haynes, in 1982 founded Calmeadow, a non-profit that funded non-profit agencies helping the working poor in developing countries.  While fine-tuning Calmeadow’s approach to development, he was introduced to ACCION International, an early promoter of MFIs in developing countries.

Connell shares his observations on the microfinance industry past, present, and future in the sixth installment of the “Microfinance Matters” interview series:

Martin Connell

Making Microfinance Sustainable

As a young executive, Martin Connell polished his skills in the rough and tumble world of mining exploration.  He headed Conwest Exploration Company Limited, a family firm founded by his grandfather.  After building Conwest and creating a business platform that successfully moved into the oil and gas field, Connell decided to do some exploration on a personal level.

Travels to Egypt, India and Bangladesh sparked his desire to promote development. In 1982, Connell and his wife, Linda Haynes, founded Calmeadow, a non-profit that funded non-profit agencies helping the working poor in developing countries…

To read more of the interview with Connell, click here.

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