BBVA Microfinance Foundation’s internship program DIME, has launched its second edition, the sequel of a project that was inaugurated last year, one that changes lives
Students of Business Administration, Economics, Political Sciences or Engineering. Tomorrow’s leaders. Ambitious. Brilliant. Curious. Committed. These are just some of qualities of the 10 DIME interns (Development, Inclusion, Microfinance and Entrepreneurship), which in the next month and a half will be landing on Dominican Republic, Chile, Colombia, Panama or Peru. The objective: to get to know the reality of millions of people in Latin America who are living under vulnerable conditions, as well as the BBVA Microfinance Foundation’s (BBVAMF) work to promote their development.
When asked about their expectations, there was almost a unanimous reply: to learn. To learn about microfinance, its impact on development and most importantly: from and about people. Because it’s them, the entrepreneurs served by the Foundation, who with their perseverance, drive change once they are given an opportunity.
The selected interns will visit the main offices of the chosen microfinance institution within the BBVAMF Group, in the country where they are assigned. After going through a short training process, they will learn about the work of loan officers, considered the “soul” of the Foundation. Whether in urban areas or in rural ones, they are the ones who accompany more than 2 million entrepreneurs day by day, and this will also be experienced the ten “DIME interns” throughout the remaining weeks of their program.
Seeing that something like this exists, with so much social impact, made me think, ‘This is what I like’”
This is how the 2nd Edition of BBVA Microfinance Foundation’s DIME internship program is launched, the sequel of a project that was inaugurated last year. At that moment, five undergraduate students travelled to Colombia and Peru, and they guaranteed that the experience changed their lives, and shared that, “an experience like this could shape your future and that of many other people”, “you learn to value things”, “seeing that something like this exists, with so much social impact, made me think ‘This is what I like’”.
The ten DIME interns: Inés González, Andrés Díaz, Iciar Álvarez, Mikel Pedrosa, Julio Gil, Ana Hauyón, Blanca Carcasona, Jaione Antoñana, Nuria Luri and Sofía Gabino (from the top, left to right)
Right now, it’s the turn of Inés González and Andreas Díaz who will go to Dominican Republic; Iciar Álvarez and Mikel Pedrosa who will go to Chile; Julio Gil and Ana Huayón who will be in Colombia; Blanca Carcasona and Jaione Antoñana, in Panama; and to Peru, Nuria Luri and Sofía Gabino will travel.
Different destinations for one same mission: to learn about the power of microfinance and play a part in making opportunities more accessible for people to have a better life.