Social Issue

Approximately 30% of the Nicaraguan population lives on less than two dollars a day. In rural areas, the poverty rate is very high since 50% of households in these areas live in extreme poverty. As a consequence of limited access to paid work, Nicaraguan families often depend on small businesses and livestock farming to earn a living.

Our Response

Pro Mujer Nicaragua (PMN) was founded in 1996 as a non-profit affiliate of Pro Mujer Inc., an international microfinance organization with a pronounced social mission. PMN offers access to financing, employment practices and health support to low-income women. It operates mostly through group loans but also provides personal loans.

Its parent company, PMI, is an organisation for the development of women that provides women with the necessary means to build a life for themselves, and, as a consequence, a future for the families of more than 268,000 women in Latin America. Its method is unique: it integrates financial services, health support, and labour and professional stimulation practices.

Expected Social Impact

PMN companies target very low-income women. Their efforts to reach clients in remote and especially rural areas (57% of their applicants) are evidenced by small loans averaging $305. Their work to improve the management methods of their health services must also be taken into account.