Transforming the Social Finance sector in Brazil

Over 4 decades ago, a mother and son duo, Paulo and Anna, two very dedicated cooks, had a life-changing idea: to turn their hobbies into a full-time job. Once an architect, Paulo mastered the art of transforming ingredients from the Amazon into savory recipes, while Anna ran the service at Lá em Casa, their family-run restaurant established in 1972. After many years of success, it was time to make their beloved dishes available to the entire world – and SITAWI was there to help.

Joanna, Paulo's daughter, founded Manioca, a company that commercializes ingredients from the Amazon in an innovative manner, connecting people to the forest through natural foods. The enterprise works closely with 24 farm producers – most of whom are engaged in family farming or are small business owners – and promotes fair trade, bringing sustainable development to the area. Along with Conexsus and IDESAM, SITAWI invested R$ 200,000 in Manioca.

The loan aims to reduce distribution costs and to create a closer bond with Manioca's suppliers, while improving their skills. A part of these funds will be used to create a network of support between farm producers, facilitating an exchange of business experiences and their communication. The contribution will also improve how local forces fight against deforestation, while promoting better income distribution. Higher incomes will improve how locals live, reducing migration from the area.

Obtained during the 1st Impact Investment and Sustainable Business in the Amazon Forum (FIINSA), an initiative coordinated by IDESAM, with support from USAID and CIAT, the investment will also allow Manioca to create a new line of products. FIINSA intends to foment and foster businesses like Joana's, focused on the value of social and biodiversity and the promotion of socioeconomic development in Northern Brazil. Besides Manioca, Encauchados de Vegetais da Amazônia, Peabiru Produtos da Floresta, and Ração+ also received loans to expand their businesses.

SITAWI leads impact investing in Brazil, having already done 39 investments in 28 different companies. In 2018, we actively invested in 9 impact businesses, and other 3 loans were completely paid-off.

Thank you for allowing us to help so many Joannas to create a fairer, more sustainable world! We are grateful to all of our partners, contributors, supporters, and clients who believe in our cause.

Let's keep making positive impact!