FINCA International operate in over 40 countries worldwide with a mission to provide economic opportunities and security for women. In 2022, FINCA distributed business loans to over 243,000 women. In Latin America, 73% of FINCA’s clients are women, and many are owners of small businesses. These women generate just enough income to sustain a modest livelihood for themselves and their families.
Most of these women are the primary breadwinner in their households. In Nicaragua and Honduras, about half are single parents who carry the full burden of their family’s well-being. Whatever their family situation, so many of these women in Latin America are running their own enterprises.
To help these hardworking women, FINCA must provide capital to extend new loans with flexible repayment terms. These investments in women entrepreneurs can create jobs for so many people and help communities thrive.
Lily America Saldaña Yela lives in Mexico City and is a client of Jefa, an enterprise supported by FINCA. She runs a small business selling gifts and holiday products from her home. She was excited to hear about Jefa, a new digital bank “made for women, by women.” As she explains it, “The fact that they asked about my opinion, the fact that they were interested in knowing what I thought, now that was surprising. They also give you a ton of tips on how to save.” Lily is determined to build a better life for her daughters: “Yes, to make it in this world is difficult. But no matter how difficult, no matter that I’m a woman and things might be harder for me, I try to be an example for them.”
