El Salvador

Fundación Campo is a nonprofit microfinance institution (MFI) in El Salvador that is dedicated to the provision of high quality financial services linked with non-financial services that promote community development and improve living conditions for small rural microentrepreneurs. Fundación Campo does this by providing credit coupled with education on topics such as economic development and product diversification.

What sets Fundación Campo apart from other MFIs is its unique partnership with local community groups called ADESCOs.  From a credit standpoint, the ADESCOs allow Fundación Campo to maintain low costs and competitive interest rates. From the standpoint of additional services, Fundación Campo’s work with the ADESCOs allows it to leverage community knowledge in the design of products and services, leading to a highly market responsive and client-centered approach. In short, GP believes that the organization’s relationship with ADESCOs shows promise in overcoming obstacles associated with the provision of education to individuals in rural areas.

One of Fundación Campo’s newest innovations is a structured technical assistance program that enables small producers to increase their incomes through the formation of associations.  Through specialized trainings small producers learn improved production practices and how to access to markets which leads to improved income security for farmers.

ENLACE is a microfinance institution (MFI) in El Salvador that provides people living in poverty with access to microenterprise credit and education. The organization was founded in 1998 by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and although ownership and governance have since changed hands, ENLACE maintains a strong social mission. It stands out from its peers because of its commitment to provide small, working capital loans using a group lending methodology. This allows the organization to reach populations traditionally excluded from financial markets. In a country where inequality is pronounced and nearly 40 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line, ENLACE serves predominantly marginalized women living in both urban and rural areas.

ENLACE has a longstanding commitment to client-focused educational services. Most recently the organization developed a program to promote savings and microentrepreneurship among youth.

The program, entitled “Financial Support to Entrepreneurs” provides promising young entrepreneurs with education in topics such as financial literacy and technical training in disciplines such as baking and handicrafts. Young men and women are chosen because they demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and present innovative business ideas with long term potential. ENLACE is currently working to expand this program to serve a select number of existing clientele, while reconstituting a more basic business education curriculum among its village bank clientele.

PADECOMSM is a microfinance institution operating in El Salvador. The MFI offers a wide range of credit products including loans and GP’s investment is towards their home improvement finance products. PADECOMSM provides loans for incremental home improvements along with supplemental services to their clients such as budgeting for the construction projects.