Community Futures Westman has launched a new way to help entrepreneurs enter the business world, or current small business owners to expand their business through their new Lending Circle program.
The Lending Circle program is designed to support rural, Indigenous, and newcomer communities who are interested in starting or growing their businesses but face barriers in accessing formal loans due to limited credit history, documentation challenges, and cultural factors. By joining as a member of Lending Circles, they can engage in formal and informal savings, access interest-free loans, and benefit from peer support.
The Lending Circle staff is led by business consultant, Shirlyn Kunaratnam and Marketing Coordinator, Richard Adu.
"We are looking for opportunities to present to groups or events in rural communities or organizations where we could talk or present information about the program," shares Kunaratnam. "We are looking for possible groups who might be a good fit for a Lending Circle."
Shirlyn is a recent graduate of the Master of Arts in Rural Development program at Brandon University and has recently joined Community Futures Westman as a Consultant for the new initiative, the Lending Circle program.
With Shirlyn’s interests in community economic development, entrepreneurship, workforce development, immigration, and the development of localized data, she is particularly passionate about community-led initiatives, where communities take an active role in leading and shaping their own programs.
Shirlyn also works as a researcher at the Rural Development Institute at Brandon university, conducting research related to immigration, entrepreneurship, climate adaptation, artificial intelligence and rural governance, and community economic development.
Shirlyn brings over 13 years of experience as a community development practitioner, having worked with multiple non-profit organizations across Sri Lanka and Asia. Her expertise includes community economic development, rural cooperatives, refugee resettlement, youth skills development, women empowerment and career development. She is highly proficient in project design, monitoring and evaluation, as well as grant writing, with a strong track record of successfully securing funding.
Richard Adu coordinates the marketing and promotion of the Lending Circles Program, a community-based financial initiative that helps underserved groups build credit and access capital through peer-to-peer lending.
Adu is a dynamic and results-driven development professional with a strong interdisciplinary background in rural and business development, agricultural economics, as well as finance.
He completed his Master of Arts in Rural Development at Brandon University, where he served as a Research Assistant at the Rural Development Institute (RDI).
Richard currently serves as the Marketing Coordinator at Community Futures Westman, where he leads marketing and outreach initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, local business growth and newcomer integration in the Westman region. He also coordinates the marketing and promotion of the Lending Circles Program, a community-based financial initiative that helps underserved groups build credit and access capital through peer-to-peer lending.
Richard holds a Master of Science in Industrial Finance and Investment and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, both from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. He also earned a Certificate in Open Data Management in Agriculture and Nutrition from GODAN Action, funded by the UK Department for International Development.
Throughout his academic and professional journey, Richard has demonstrated strong leadership and community engagement. He served as Graduate Students Director at the Brandon University Students’ Union. His prior leadership roles include President of the National Service Personnel Association (Oforikrom Municipality), Programs and Projects Coordinator for the National Union of Ghana Students (KNUST), and Vice President of External Relations for the International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS WORLD), representing the organization at international conferences in Europe and Africa.
He is an alumnus of the Africa German Entrepreneurship Academy (AGEA) in Leipzig, Germany and was named one of the Top 100 Leaders of Tomorrow at the Global Biotech Revolution Summit in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, he earned a Certificate of Achievement from the African Presidential Leadership Program in Cairo, Egypt, under the auspices of the President of Egypt. Richard is also the founder of PRIMAG AUTOWORKS, an automotive service enterprise launched in Ghana, reflecting his strong entrepreneurial drive and business acumen. His combined interests in agricultural policy, rural development, and entrepreneurship continue to shape his work as he explores new opportunities to empower rural communities in Canada and beyond
If you are interested in learning more about Lending Circles, you can reach out
Shirlyn Kunaratnam, Consultant, kunaratnams@cfwestman.ca or 204 725 1513
Richard Adu, Marketing Coordinator, adur@cfwestman.ca or 204 725 1513