Fondo Esperanza takes part in the VIII Latin American Forum on Village Banks

Fondo Esperanza, the BBVAMF’s entity in Chile, took part in the VIII International Latin American Forum on Village Banking, celebrated in Cuzco, Peru. The forum entitled, “Promoting inclusive finance through financial education for the poorest” assembled specialists from various Latin American countries to analyze and debate on the advances, tendencies, problems, challenges and experiences related to Village Banking and microfinance.

The event was organized by the Consorcio Promoción de la Mujer y la Comunidad (Consortium Promoting Women and the Community) and has been ongoing since 2013 in recognition of the profound impact of the Village Banking methodology in the most vulnerable population of the region. This is true especially for women in rural areas, who managed to boost their standards of living, self-esteem and empowerment.

In this forum’s edition, Mario Pavón, managing director of Fondo Esperanza, presented “The Village Banking experience of persons in jail”, which is part of the program “Segments of Inclusion,” one which the Chilean entity has implemented in the country’s different prison compounds and with homeless people.

In this regard, the executive expressed that it is compelling for Fondo Esperanza to make their work known in prisons because they could see “the great impact it has, not only on the person deprived of freedom, but also towards society. It becomes more humane, more inclusive.”

 

“To be able to share our views with other Latin American Village Banking institutions is a great opportunity to collectively conceive ideas on how this methodology continues to contribute to the economic, human and social development of our continent”

Karina Gómez, the entity’s national offices manager also assisted in the event, and participated in the comments panel, “Village Bank, a delivery model for financial and non-financial services.” “To be able to share our views with other Latin American Village Banking institutions is a great opportunity to collectively conceive ideas on how this methodology continues to contribute to the economic, human and social development of our continent. In Fondo Esperanza, we are proud to have such a fortified and integrated microfinance service in place, which has played a part in improving the living standards of thousands of entrepreneurs, and this challenges us to go on, to end the conditions of inequality in our country.”

VIII Latin American Forum on Village Banking

Aside from the above-mentioned topics, there was also a debate on inclusive finance, technology and innovations, financial inclusion and education as well as discussions on gender, savings, and regulatory experiences in the sector.

This event gathered around five hundred experts, who created a space for exchange, analysis and dialogue with the aim to improve the conditions under which Villange Banking and microfinance thrive in Peru and throughout Latin America.