FINCA Results

Measuring Our Impact

Social Performance Management

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Nicaragua

Stable economic growth over the last several years has helped reduce poverty in Nicaragua, though it remains one of the poorest countries in the region. Basic services — including sanitation, drinking water, commerce and banking services — are lacking, especially outside of major towns.

Founded in 1992, FINCA Nicaragua is one of the network's oldest subsidiaries. Today it offers a wide range of credit products for micro-businesses, small-scale enterprises, farms and farm-related businesses.

Explore Nicaragua Data ↓

Financial Inclusion

Nicaragua:
Reaching the Financially Excluded

72% Adult population financially excluded
4,823 59% Female borrowers FINCA Nicargua has one of the highest concentrations of female borrowers among our subsidiaries. % #
8,179 Total FINCA clients This number will increase with the launch of savings services for non-borrowing customers.
1,472 18% Borrowers in rural areas % #
8,179 Total FINCA borrowers

Nicaragua has one of the highest rates of financial exclusion in the world; nearly 3 out of 4 adults lack a basic bank account. Given the overall scarcity of financial services throughout the country, it is not surprising that FINCA's outreach is mainly concentrated in urban areas.

FINCA Nicaragua exemplifies FINCA's outreach to women, which is a hallmark of this region. Women make up 3 out of 4 borrowers, most of whom are the main source of income in their families. Like its neighbor, Honduras, FINCA Nicaragua also has a very high concentration of single mothers (see Women's Empowerment below), who comprise almost a quarter of all customers.

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Living Standards

Nicaragua:
Quality of Life

1,309 16% Client homes without water Similar to the regional average. % #
245 3% Client homes without electricity Two times less than the regional average, reflecting FINCA Nicaragua's concentration in more urban areas. % #
3,435 42% Client homes without access to Internet % #
245 3% Clients who don’t own their home The rate of home ownership in Nicaragua is the highest outside of Eurasia. % #
4,563 56% Head of household with primary education or less While somewhat better than the regional average, this indicator is very high by global standards. % #

The basic living standards of our clients in Nicaragua are similar those found in neighboring countries, except in a few respects. Our Nicaraguan borrowers have an uncommonly high rate of home ownership (97 percent), which is the most outside of Eurasia. Also, access to electricity is also much more common, reflecting the urban nature of our current client base. The lack of clean water, however, is a problem for 16 percent of borrowers, which is close to the regional average.

Unfortunately, educational achievement is low among family breadwinners. Over half of them have a primary education or less. The situation is a little bit better in Nicaragua than in the region overall, reflecting sustained national efforts to raise educational levels. But it still leaves nearly half of our clients with very limited means to earn an income and to make lasting improvements in their family's quality of life.

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Income & Employment

Nicaragua:
Income & Employment

$4,346 39% Average annual profit % #
2.4 Average # of employees per client enterprise
19,813 People employed in FINCA-funded enterprises
4,037 20% Employees hired due to FINCA loan % #
18,743 95% Wages paid above the poverty line % #
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Women’s Empowerment

Nicaragua:
Empowering Women

4,823 59% Female borrowers FINCA Nicargua has one of the highest concentrations of female borrowers among our subsidiaries. % #
1,723 21% Clients with female-headed household % #
3,877 47% Households with female as main earner % #
5,554 67.9% Businesses run by women % #
9,733 49% Women employed by enterprises Avg. #
11,260 57% Jobs created by women % #

FINCA has a very high concentration of female clients in Nicaragua, most of whom are the primary breadwinners in their households, including many single monthers. This places enormous responsibilities on the shoulders of our clients and makes their path out of poverty more challenging.

Women are fully engaged in running their businesses as independent entrepreneurs. They run 68 percent of all businesses and are responsible for over half of the total job creation.

View All Women’s Empowerment Data

Clients’ Goals

Nicaragua:
Attaining Business and Personal Goals

Goals Set By FINCA Borrowers
Goals Met By FINCA Borrowers
344 4% Start a business % #
3,043 37% Expand a business % #
98 1% Invest in education % #
1,865 23% Improve their home % #
548 7% Buy an asset % #
875 11% Pay down debts % #
182 53% Start a business % #
1,570 52% Expand a business % #
88 90% Invest in education % #
1,199 64% Improve their home % #
413 75% Buy an asset % #
416 48% Pay down debts % #

FINCA's borrowers in Nicaragua have diverse aspirations. Just under half are either expanding or starting a business. Twenty-three percent are using FINCA's support to fix-up their homes, which is consistent with the unusually high rate of home ownership in this country. Others are paying down other debts or purchasing home assets.

View All Clients’ Goals Data

Special Topics

Nicaragua:
Poverty, Economic Sectors, Jobs and Profits

FINCA Loan Sectors

6,077 74% Trade % #
1,529 19% Services % #
155 2% Manufacturing % #
254 3% Crops % #
98 1% Livestock % #

Profit and Profit/Sales Ratio by Sector

$3,561 37% Trade Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
6,238 47% Services Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$9,499 34% Manufacturing Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$8,979 49% Crops Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit
$6,273 37% Livestock Profit/sales ratio Avg. profit

Jobs by Sector Due to FINCA Loan

1,661 41% Trade % #
579 14% Services % #
708 18% Manufacturing % #
1,071 27% Crops % #
18 0% Livestock % #

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