This month we published our second annual Impact Report, a document that shares a variety of results from our Microcredit Plus program – some suggestive, some positive, and some from which to learn. This document guides our strategy toward fulfilling our social mission of empowering impoverished Guatemalan women to create better future for themselves, their families, and their communities through microfinance and education.

In 2014, our results show Microcredit Plus is increasing the agency of our clients. With increased agency our clients know what they want, believe they can achieve it, and are able to take action to realize it. Read our online report to learn more about outcomes related to our clients’ capacity over financial decisions, for economic change, and to aspire for a better future.

A few highlights from the 2014 Impact Report:

• 90% of clients report taking on a leadership role since becoming a Friendship Bridge client
• Clients who invested in clean stoves through Friendship Bridge’s CrediSalud loan saved $37/month (72%) in fuel expenditures each month. These clients also saw several positive outcomes related to health and children’s school attendance.
• More than 1,000 students were supported through CrediEscolar loans for education. From 2013 to 2014, clients’ enrollment of dependent children between ages 7 and 13 increased 17%.
• Clients who utilize a Plus service such as Advanced Training, CrediSalud, or CrediEscolar experience more positive change in their poverty status.
• 95% of our clients feel their income has increased or stabilized. Over half report they have either started saving or increased their savings.

These outcomes from 2014 are shaping our strategy as we moves forward with our Social Performance Management goals. Our results are leading us to understand poverty with a wider lens – one that encompasses more than just financial outcomes. We are excited to see positive results as clients utilize our Plus services and participate in our program through multiple loan cycles. As we learn from our findings year-to-year we will be increasingly able to expand the bridge and open pathways of empowerment to even more women.

Read the full report here.