Empowering Women in El Salvador's Lower Lempa Through Rotating Line of Credit
Partner:
The Intercommunity Association of Communities Working Together for the Economic and Social Development of Lower Lempa (ACUDESBAL)
Location:
Lower Lempa, El Salvador
Project Duration:
[...]
Themes:
Women’s Rights, Worker's Rights
Project Summary
Lower Lempa, El Salvador is the second or third home for the majority of the people living in the region. Many of families were relocated here by the government when they returned from refugee camps at the end of the Salvadoran Civil War in the early 1990s. There has been a great struggle for former refugees to build a sense of community as well as secure sufficient employment and income to support themselves. These issues are exacerbated by the high levels of insecurity and violence perpetuated by gangs throughout the area.
Due to rampant gender inequality, women in Lower Lempa are particularly vulnerable to the challenges of poverty and insecurity. For this reason, the Intercommunity Association of Communities Working Together for the Economic and Social Development of Lower Lempa (ACUDESBAL) created the Women’s Association of Lower Lempa (AMUDIBAL) to help contribute to the socioeconomic development of rural women.
Through its current project, AMUDIBAL aims to support self-employment opportunities for women and their families. It has established a rotating line of credit to empower women with the skills and tools to help themselves, and build better future for their families.
Key Achievements
- The rotating line of credit has motivated other agencies to finance loans, and has contributed to an additional increase of 45% to the original credit line, allowing more women and families to access the funds.
- Women loan recipients have used funds to support ventures in small-scale farming, including cattle farming, which has lead to increased economic autonomy.
- The initiative has strengthened Lower Lempa women to demand further recognition of their rights as women and workers.