Desjardins Inter­national Develop­ment (DID) projects

Foster the development of female entrepreneurship by giving women entrepreneurs access to entrepreneurial support services, in order to strengthen their managerial, financial and digital capacities (demand), and increase their access to financial and digital services adapted to their needs (supply). More specifically, the project would mitigate the gender inequalities experienced by women entrepreneurs in urban and peripheral areas in the La Paz region (including El Alto) and the Cochabamba region.

The project will directly benefit 1,500 women-led MSMEs and contribute to creating, preserving and improving 7,500 jobs that depend on them. It would also benefit the families of these companies' employees and women leaders.

• Strengthening the managerial, financial and digital performance of women entrepreneurs. To contribute to this impact, the project is expected to bring about the following changes: 
  • Increased ability of women to develop their businesses
  • Increased ability of women to make informed financial decisions
  • Increased awareness of gender issues among women entrepreneurs and their families

• Increased access for women entrepreneurs to financial and digital products and services tailored to their needs. To achieve this, it's expected that the project will lead to the following changes:
  • Increased ability of IFPs to offer products and services that are adapted and sensitive to gender and environmental issues
  • Increased capacity of IFPs to integrate a digital services (DS) offering for women entrepreneurs

• 13,304 women and young people have been educated on financial literacy.
• 9 financial institutions are better prepared to meet the needs of rural women and young people.
• 13 public and private funding partners have joined.

• 25,773 people benefitted in 2022.
• 12,122 one-on-one budget consultations were held.
• CAN$391,669 was granted in loans, with an average loan amount of $785.

• 1,093 businesses were helped in 2022.
• 424 jobs were created or maintained.
• 152 businesses received financing, for a total value of $1,213,382.

• 282 new projects received financing, for a total value of $24,332,938.
• 659 jobs were created or maintained. 

Crezcamos is a Colombian microfinance institution that was established in 2008. It provides financial services for micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) owners and their families, mainly in rural areas. It offers savings and credit solutions for the farming, commerce, services, production and housing sectors, as well as solutions to help clients plan for the future, including insurance products. It has about 1,700 employees and more than 97,500 clients.

• 26,282 male entrepreneurs and 12,945 female entrepreneurs received support in 6 countries.
• Over 72,000 loans were granted to entrepreneurs, for a total of CAN$500 million.
• 7 entrepreneur financial centres (EFCs) were created.

• 109,800 jobs were created or maintained in the communities.
• For every dollar provided by the Canadian government for technical assistance, an additional $7.30 was contributed.
• Some 30 partnerships were forged with government entities, entrepreneur support service providers and local organizations.

Fundación para el desarollo integral ESPOIR is a foundation based in Quito, Ecuador. Our investment helps them achieve their mission of contributing to the country's economic and social development and improving the health of women micro-entrepreneurs. ESPOIR provides credit products and health and financial literacy services to nearly 550,000 clients, 68% of whom are women.

• Increase the market value of cacao, yams and other related crops
• Adopt innovative agricultural practices for greater resiliency in the face of climate change
• Increase issuance of loans tailored to farmers
• Improve living conditions overall for the department of Grand'Anse's rural populations

• 3,500 cacao and yam producers have benefitted directly from the project.
• 17,500 people have benefitted indirectly.
• 5 participating financial institutions and 63 Village Savings and Loan Associations were created. 

Financiera Fundeser is an inclusive finance institution based in Managua, Nicaragua. The institution's client commitment is reflected in its high-quality services and proximity to the people it serves. It offers financial services to help increase the revenue of rural micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), the pillars of Nicaragua's economic development.

Across its network of 22 locations in rural and urban areas, Fundeser serves more than 16,575 clients, 50% of whom are women. It offers individual and group loans mainly in agricultural industries, particularly coffee.

Centro Financiero Empresarial is a microfinance institution dedicated to financing micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in and around urban centres in Panama. We established the centre in 2009 and handed over the operations to a local team in 2018. The centre serves nearly 4,500 businesses and has about 190 employees, more than 53% of whom are women.

Abaco is a savings and credit cooperative in Lima, Peru, whose goal is to help improve its members' quality of life by offering them basic financial products and services designed for their needs, while also contributing to sustainable development.

Founded in 1981, the institution has about 120 employees and more than 14,000 clients, 30% of whom are women.