Thanks to the generosity and insight of our supporters, 2008 was a year in which great challenges were met with even greater achievements. It is amazing to us all here at Unitus to see how the enthusiasm, caring, and commitment of so many remarkable individuals\u2014from passionate donors at home to visionary social entrepreneurs abroad\u2014can come together to change the world. Here\u2019s a quick run-down of what we can all be proud of in the fight against global poverty:<\/p>\n
\u2022 In 2008,\u00a0Unitus added five new MFI partners in Cambodia, India, and East Africa, bringing our network total to 23.<\/p>\n
\u2022 We helped our partners\u00a0more than double their client reach\u00a0from 3.3 million in 2007 to nearly 7 million at year-end 2008.<\/p>\n
\u2022 \u00a0Our expansion team laid the groundwork to open\u00a0a regional office in East Africa<\/strong>,\u00a0addressing the tremendous need for microfinance in the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0We initiated work to better understand and increase our partners\u2019 impact on poverty, and embarked upon research and development efforts for micro-insurance, savings, and \u201cultra-poor\u201d programs for MFIs<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0Unitus microfinance experts participated in several industry working groups and spoke at\u00a0more than 13 industry conferences and events worldwide<\/strong>,working with other microfinance organizations on issues such as maximizing social impact and the future of microfinance.<\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0Our global network team hosted the\u00a0third annual Unitus Leadership Summit, attended by more than 20 social entrepreneurs\u00a0and featuring interactive discussions on today\u2019s most important microfinance issues and trends. We also sponsored several partners\u2019 participation in the Harvard Business School Program on Strategic Leadership for Microfinance.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2022 \u00a0We rocked stadiums at home and abroad when\u00a0The Police<\/strong> chose us as their charitable partner for\u00a0their 2008 Concert Tour<\/strong>,\u00a0leading to significant publicity and financial support for our mission and work.<\/p>\n These are just a few of the year\u2019s highlights. We have no doubt that 2009 will be even more incredible, and we hope you\u2019ll be there with us every step of the way!<\/p>\n