Australia faired relatively well during the financially-turbulent 2009. So, rather than send out Christmas cards, Brighton Consulting decided to help out someone less-advantaged and support the CUFA Village Entrepreneur Initiative.

The Village Entrepreneur Initiative is operated by Credit Union Foundation Australia (CUFA), and provides budding micro-entrepreneurs from less-developed countries with the opportunity to expand or start their own small business. From this basis, they can enhance their well-being and their family’s living standards.

Therefore, we’re very proud to be supporting Ernesto Pereira from East Timor. Ernesto hopes to establish a small business making and selling tradition handicrafts. While buying necessities such as food and medicine are highly important for Ernesto, it is the education for his younger brothers and sisters which has encouraged his business development.

CUFA has said that… “We will soon be conducting field support and funds distribution for supported Timor Leste Village Entrepreneurs mid-way through February… We look forward to providing you with updates on Ernesto’s progress towards financial independence and a more secure future.

Hopefully, in deciding to support Ernesto, we can, as CUFA says, “make an impact”.