Thanks for your support! An acknowledgement to our partners

As Canada’s largest and most successful microlending non-profit for skilled immigrants and refugees, the impact of our work continues to be our driving force. When a newcomer arrives in Canada, they bring hopes and aspirations that they wish to achieve once they are settled.

Since 2005, our loan program has enabled us to contribute to the realization of over 5,700 dreams. By supporting newcomers across the country through our low-interest microloan program, the clients we support are able to transition from underemployment to career success. Their success allows them to become significant contributors to Canada’s economic fabric.

While we pride ourselves on our success, we cannot forget the partners who support our program. From the east coast to the west coast, Windmill works with partners in the immigration, settlement, employment services, corporate and educational sectors.

For the past 15 years, these partners have shared information with skilled immigrants seeking their services. They have helped many newcomers like Gilberto, who, before moving to Canada in 2012, learned that he needed to obtain a Canadian license to continue working as a paramedic. This process takes time and money.

“Before coming to Canada, I found out that I was not going to be able to work as a paramedic without a license. I learned this through the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics (SCoP), the licensing body for paramedics in the province,” recalls Gilberto.

Not long after visiting SCoP’s office in person, Gilberto was looking through a series of brochures he received at Saskatchewan Polytechnic and found one from Windmill Microlending. He contacted the office to learn more. The information Gilberto received from our partner led him to apply and receive a microloan, which eventually resulted in him receiving the training he needed to get back into his profession.

In the spirit of collaboration, Windmill often refers clients back to some partners who offer outstanding services that we do not provide, such as interpretation services, legal clinics, profession-specific study groups and financial literacy, to mention a few. Knowledge is empowering, and our partners make sure that the skilled immigrants they serve can find and access the information they need.