Deepening Resilience Through Ground-Up Partnerships - Ahon sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI)

A Trailblazer in Philippine Microfinance

Ahon sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI) has long stood as a pioneer in microfinance in the Philippines. Officially registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in 1987 and beginning formal operations in 1989, ASHI adopted the Grameen Bank methodology as the cornerstone of its work, building financial systems rooted in solidarity, peer accountability, and social empowerment. Starting in the CALABARZON region (excluding Batangas), ASHI later expanded into the Visayas, specifically Panay and Aklan, and into the Bicol region. Today, it also operates in urban centers including Pasig and Las Piñas.

ASHI currently serves over 105,000 clients, with 90% of them being women. The remaining 10%, mostly male farmers, reflect ASHI’s expanding role in supporting the agricultural sector. Lending is organized in five-member groups, which are aggregated into centers of six to ten groups.

The Pre-Partnership Landscape

According to Ms. Deserie Goto, head of ASHI’s Plans and Program Department, before joining forces with RestartME, ASHI was dealing with a range of operational and financial pressures. Character-based credit risks remained a persistent concern. Externally sourced funds carried high interest rates, leaving little room for flexibility when working with economically vulnerable borrowers. Although ASHI has long championed holistic client services, from birth to death, delivering on this vision became increasingly difficult due to funding constraints and training gaps.

There was a clear need for a financing partner that not only understood the numbers but also shared a vision for long-term, human-centered development.

The RestartME Connection

The partnership with RestartME emerged organically from a personal relationship. ASHI’s President, Ms. Mercedes Abad, and Mr. Rafael Lopa, President of RestartME, were longtime friends. What began as a friendly exchange evolved into a deep strategic collaboration. RestartME’s lower interest rates provided ASHI with much-needed room to operate ethically and effectively.

Together, they launched new programs, including ASHI’s participation in the ARISE disaster risk reduction initiative and the integration of civic education components into their community engagements. Just as importantly, RestartME funding allowed ASHI to respond to extreme weather events even when clients lacked formal savings, marking a significant shift from traditional lending requirements.

The partnership soon became part of ASHI’s core mission, enabling it to extend both its financial and geographic reach, while reinforcing the values that have shaped its work since its founding.

A Bayanihan Story 

The story of Mr. Lucilo brings the impact of this partnership to life. A rice farmer who also grows onions and calamansi, he was vulnerable to the increasingly erratic climate that has disrupted Philippine agriculture. When disaster struck, ASHI and RestartME provided financial assistance, while Jollibee Foods Corporation contributed technical training and access to farming technology.

With this combined support, he was able to expand his income, renovate his house, and acquire an additional hectare of farmland. His journey exemplifies a “bayanihan” model of development, where collective effort, strategic partnerships, and trust intersect to create long-lasting change.

Toward a Stronger, Smarter Partnership

While the RestartME-ASHI collaboration has opened new pathways, there are systemic challenges still to be addressed. Access to markets across regions remains uneven. Logistics and transport infrastructure lag behind the needs of expanding microenterprises. Technology adoption is slow, and many microentrepreneurs remain trapped in a survival-based mindset, lacking both the bandwidth and resources to innovate.

ASHI proposes to strengthen its partnership with RestartME through the provision of additional credit lines, focused capacity-building training, and stronger linkages with government agencies and programs. It recognizes that addressing issues requires more than finance. It demands a whole-of-ecosystem approach.