La Ceiba Microfinance Institution (MFI)

Status: Ongoing

A lack of a sustainable income prevents many from overcoming poverty. Since Students Helping Honduras seeks to not only ameliorate current problems through intervention, but also to empower community members, partnering with La Ceiba provides an opportunity to reach to the root of poverty. La Ceiba, a microfinance institution created by University of Mary Washington students in the summer of 2008, combats this by allowing entrepreneurs to receive small loans to create or expand businesses.

La Ceiba seeks to empower women in the community, as they develop business plans, undergo training and create their own businesses. Already, thirteen women in Siete de Abril have established businesses with the help of loans from La Ceiba in the first round of loans. La Ceiba hopes to expand to provide increased training and loan availability to residents of Siete de Abril and Villa Soleada.