FINCA Results

Measuring Our Impact

Social Performance Management

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Latin America

Latin America is FINCA's birthplace. The Village Banking lending methodology was conceived in Bolivia, before spreading throughout South and Central America. The region includes some of the poorest countries in our network. Besides income inequality and crime, they are prone to hurricanes, flooding and earthquakes. Our clients regularly face these challenges with resilience and determination. Credit and savings are important tools to recover from setbacks and to gain a better future.

Explore Latin America Data ↓

Financial Inclusion

Latin America:
Reaching the Financially Excluded

59% Adult population financially excluded
108,859 76% Female borrowers % #
174,612 Total FINCA clients
43,817 39% Borrowers in rural areas Rural outreach is especially high in Ecuador and Guatemala. % #
142,844 Total FINCA borrowers
49% Adult population financially excluded
8,987 60% Female borrowers Like its peers in the region, FINCA Ecuador maintains a high level of outreach to women. % #
29,604 Total FINCA clients
7,638 51% Borrowers in rural areas Along with Guatemala, FINCA Ecuador has a comparatively high rate of rural outreach. % #
14,977 Total FINCA borrowers
Explore Ecuador Data
56% Adult population financially excluded
26,360 80% Female borrowers Second-highest in the world, right after FINCA Haiti. % #
32,830 Total FINCA clients
17,400 53% Borrowers in rural areas Highest outside of Eurasia. % #
32,830 Total FINCA borrowers
Explore Guatemala Data
72% Adult population financially excluded
42,328 89% Female borrowers % #
47,409 Total FINCA clients
47,409 Total FINCA borrowers
Explore Haiti Data
57% Adult population financially excluded
16,950 65% Female borrowers % #
43,267 Total FINCA clients Honduras has more non-borrowing customers than any other subsidiary in the region.
8,360 32% Borrowers in rural areas % #
26,126 Total FINCA borrowers
Explore Honduras Data
72% Adult population financially excluded
14,234 66% Female borrowers FINCA Nicargua has one of the highest concentrations of female borrowers among our subsidiaries. % #
21,502 Total FINCA clients This number will increase with the launch of savings services for non-borrowing customers.
3,870 18% Borrowers in rural areas % #
21,502 Total FINCA borrowers
Explore Nicaragua Data

Financial and economic exclusion remain high in Latin America -- especially for women and the poor. While 46 percent of men have access to a bank account in the countries where we work, that figure falls to 37 percent for women, and even further -- to 27 percent -- for those at the bottom of the ladder. In this context, FINCA's outreach to women, which has been its legacy in this region, is as important today as it was when we first started operations. Three out of four borrowers are women, putting Latin America in the lead on female outreach. In addition, Guatemala and Ecuador also have significant rural outreach, while Honduras and Nicaragua are operating in more urban markets.

Most of FINCA's subsidiaries in Latin America are medium-sized, with 25 to 50 thousand borrowers. Nevertheless, three of them -- Honduras, Ecuador and Nicaragua -- have been licensed to take deposits, which allows them to offer a wider range of services beyond credit. In fact, savers outnumber borrowers almost 2:1 in Ecuador and Honduras, showing that their is robust demand for services that allow people to safely store and accumulate their savings.

Living Standards

Latin America:
Quality of Life

17,401 18% Client homes without water % #
10,982 12% Client homes without electricity % #
39,139 41% Client homes without access to Internet % #
11,024 12% Clients who don’t own their home % #
60,733 64% Head of household with primary education or less % #
1,198 8% Client homes without water % #
0 0% Client homes without electricity % #
2,995 20% Client homes without access to Internet % #
1,797 12% Clients who don’t own their home % #
5,631 38% Head of household with primary education or less % #
Explore Ecuador Data
4,925 15% Client homes without water % #
3,283 10% Client homes without electricity % #
13,789 42% Client homes without access to Internet % #
4,925 15% Clients who don’t own their home % #
25,246 77% Head of household with primary education or less This is the second-highest percentage in the world, just after Afghanistan. % #
Explore Guatemala Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Haiti.

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7,838 30% Client homes without water % #
7,054 27% Client homes without electricity % #
13,324 51% Client homes without access to Internet % #
3,658 14% Clients who don’t own their home % #
17,860 68% Head of household with primary education or less % #
Explore Honduras Data
3,440 16% Client homes without water Similar to the regional average. % #
645 3% Client homes without electricity Two times less than the regional average, reflecting FINCA Nicaragua's concentration in more urban areas. % #
9,031 42% Client homes without access to Internet % #
645 3% Clients who don’t own their home The rate of home ownership in Nicaragua is the highest outside of Eurasia. % #
11,995 56% Head of household with primary education or less While somewhat better than the regional average, this indicator is very high by global standards. % #
Explore Nicaragua Data

FINCA's clients in Latin America face some serious challenges in their daily life. In Honduras for example, about a third of our borrowers lack water and/or electricity in their homes. In the region overall, nearly half of our clients live in a household where the main earner has less than a secondary education, which is a serious constraint on their income. In Guatemala, this figure is over 75 percent, placing it right ahead of Afghanistan, a country which has been at war for most of the last several decades.

These results sharpen the focus on improving the educational attainment and income-earning potential of our clients' children, so they can break the cycle of poverty. FINCA's mission is to provide tools and financial resources to these families -- especially the mothers -- so they can provide a basic quality of life that will foster this change from one generation to the next.

Income & Employment

Latin America:
Income & Employment

$3,263 28% Average annual profit Haiti and Honduras only. Nicaragua to be included later in 2018, % #
2.5 Average # of employees per client enterprise Haiti and Honduras only. Nicaragua to be included later in 2018,
181,196 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises Haiti and Honduras only. Nicaragua to be included later in 2018,
50,225 28% Employees hired due to FINCA loan Haiti and Honduras only. Nicaragua to be included later in 2018, % #
47,056 26% Wages paid above the poverty line Haiti and Honduras only. Nicaragua to be included later in 2018, % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

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No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

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$1,799 22% Average annual profit % #
2.7 Average # of employees per client enterprise
127,924 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
39,693 31% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
30,702 24% Wages paid above the poverty line % #
Explore Haiti Data
$5,920 40% Average annual profit % #
2.0 Average # of employees per client enterprise
53,273 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
10,532 20% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
16,355 31% Wages paid above the poverty line % #
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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Explore FINCA Loan Sectors

FINCA has completed its Enterprise Survey in Haiti and Honduras, and we are currently in the field in Nicaragua. The data we have so far shows that Latin America is very close to the global average in most employment and income indicators. The typical FINCA client employs 2.5 people in her business, including herself. Twenty-eight percent of this employment is due to the loan from FINCA. Profits comprise about 30 percent of total sales. Competition is very stiff, however, so the vast majority of paid workers are earning wages below the national poverty line. This also reflects the fact that many of our Latin American clients are themselves quite poor and that their businesses are mainly a means of daily survival under tough circumstances.

Women’s Empowerment

Latin America:
Empowering Women

108,859 76% Female borrowers % #
17,109 18% Clients with female-headed household % #
42,841 45% Households with female as main earner % #
57,672 78% Businesses run by women % #
184,984 55% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
147,397 80% Jobs created by women % #
8,987 60% Female borrowers Like its peers in the region, FINCA Ecuador maintains a high level of outreach to women. % #
8,987 60% Female borrowers Like its peers in the region, FINCA Ecuador maintains a high level of outreach to women. % #
1,267 8% Clients with female-headed household % #
8,110 54% Households with female as main earner % #
Explore Ecuador Data
26,360 80% Female borrowers Second-highest in the world, right after FINCA Haiti. % #
26,360 80% Female borrowers Second-highest in the world, right after FINCA Haiti. % #
4,151 13% Clients with female-headed household % #
10,376 32% Households with female as main earner Guatemala is exceptional in that most of our female clients are secondary earners. % #
Explore Guatemala Data
42,328 89% Female borrowers % #
42,328 89% Female borrowers % #
39,018 82% Businesses run by women % #
54,994 43% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
112,317 88% Jobs created by women % #
Explore Haiti Data
16,950 65% Female borrowers % #
16,950 65% Female borrowers % #
6,764 26% Clients with female-headed household % #
13,269 51% Households with female as main earner % #
18,654 71% Businesses run by women Note that this is higher than the number of female borrowers, because the data are from an Enterprise survey, which is done separately from the household survey. % #
40,234 76% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
35,080 66% Jobs created by women % #
Explore Honduras Data
14,234 66% Female borrowers FINCA Nicargua has one of the highest concentrations of female borrowers among our subsidiaries. % #
14,234 66% Female borrowers FINCA Nicargua has one of the highest concentrations of female borrowers among our subsidiaries. % #
4,927 23% Clients with female-headed household % #
11,085 52% Households with female as main earner % #
Explore Nicaragua Data

FINCA Latin America stands out for its outreach to women, most of whom are the primary breadwinner in their households. In Nicaragua and Honduras, about half of these women are also single parents who carry the full burden of their family's well-being. By contrast, our clients in Guatemala are living in more traditional rural families and contributing supplementary income to their household. Regardless, virtually all of the women in Latin America are running their own enterprises. In other regions, it is relatively more common for men to be involved in our clients' businesses. Unsurprisingly, Latin America is the only region in which the employees in our clients' firms are also mostly women, showing that female entrepreneurs can a driving force in creating jobs for other women.

Clients’ Goals

Goals Set By FINCA Borrowers
Goals Met By FINCA Borrowers
6,699 9% Start a business % #
42,220 57% Expand a business % #
855 1% Invest in education % #
9,379 13% Improve their home % #
3,644 5% Buy an asset % #
3,806 5% Pay down debts % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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2,987 6% Start a business % #
33,471 71% Expand a business % #
427 1% Invest in education % #
2,607 6% Improve their home % #
95 0% Buy an asset % #
2,133 5% Pay down debts % #
Explore Haiti Data
3,712 14% Start a business % #
8,749 33% Expand a business % #
428 2% Invest in education % #
6,771 26% Improve their home % #
3,549 14% Buy an asset % #
1,672 6% Pay down debts % #
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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5,725 86% Start a business % #
30,998 75% Expand a business % #
767 89% Invest in education % #
7,036 66% Improve their home % #
2,812 28% Buy an asset % #
1,921 48% Pay down debts % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

DONATE

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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2,625 88% Start a business % #
23,999 72% Expand a business % #
379 89% Invest in education % #
1,484 57% Improve their home % #
0 0% Buy an asset % #
817 38% Pay down debts % #
Explore Haiti Data
3,100 84% Start a business % #
7,000 80% Expand a business % #
388 90% Invest in education % #
5,552 82% Improve their home % #
2,812 79% Buy an asset % #
1,104 66% Pay down debts % #
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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Each borrower comes to FINCA with a unique goal in mind. In Haiti, most of our clients are focused on expanding their businesses. Meanwhile, in Honduras, clients are striving for a wider range of goals, including improving their home, and purchasing assets.

Nicaragua's client survey is presently in the field -- check back in the fall of 2018 to see the results.

Special Topics

FINCA Loan Sectors

102,618 72% Trade % #
21,264 15% Services % #
11,656 8% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
6,450 5% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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40,961 86% Trade % #
4,551 10% Services % #
1,564 3% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
0 0% Livestock % #
Explore Haiti Data
11,866 45% Trade % #
6,395 24% Services % #
4,436 17% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
3,320 13% Livestock % #
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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Profit and Profit/Sales Ratio by Sector

$3,606 28% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
3,872 30% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$3,172 36% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$0 0% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$2,301 16% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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$1,595 21% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
3,413 27% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$2,810 33% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$0 0% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$0 0% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
Explore Haiti Data
$7,256 40% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
4,706 37% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$3,830 40% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$0 0% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$6,477 46% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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Jobs by Sector Due to FINCA Loan

36,131 72% Trade % #
7846 16% Services % #
4,153 8% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
2,096 4% Livestock % #

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Ecuador.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

DONATE

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Guatemala.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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32,130 81% Trade % #
4947 12% Services % #
2,616 7% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
0 0% Livestock % #
Explore Haiti Data
4,001 38% Trade % #
2898 28% Services % #
1,538 15% Manufacturing % #
0 0% Crops % #
2,096 20% Livestock % #
Explore Honduras Data

No data has been collected yet for this indicator in Nicaragua.

The support of FINCA donors is vital to our efforts to understand our clients and better serve them. Please Donate to support this important work.

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Latin America Stories

lucia pacajoj

A Store of Her Own

Thanks to FINCA's microfinance loans, Lucia Margarita Pacajoj Ticum was able to create her own souvenir store and provide a better life...
Read Lucia Margarita's Storyone woman conglomerate

A One-Woman Conglomerate

On her own for 18 years since her husband died, 62-year old Consuelo Esperanza Rueda Aguilar runs several businesses that she has...
Read Consuelo's StoryHonduras village bank

It Takes a Village

With FINCA's Village Bank loans, Anarda Nunez is able to provide for her family and tend to her farm in Honduras.
Read Anarda's Story

© 2016 FINCA International

Contact Our Research Team

Visit FINCA.org

Contact Our Research Team

© 2017 FINCA International

Visit FINCA.org