Chancen International

Why we invest

A college degree is one of the most powerful ways to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. When a young person graduates from university, their income and employment opportunities increase dramatically–with ripple effects across their entire family. But too many kids can’t afford college and traditional loans are too onerous to repay. Chancen is a non-profit fund manager pioneering ethical Income Share Agreements (ISAs) to finance college education for low-income students in Africa. In contrast to a traditional loan with a fixed monthly payment, these agreements allow students to repay their education expenses as a percentage of their post-education salary for a set number of years. If a student isn’t earning income, they do not fall behind on payments- and total repayment is capped to ensure high earners aren’t penalized. Chancen’s agreements provide flexible terms that could lead to durable prosperity for millions of students and their families across Africa.