Empowering women
Employees from VISA carried out a series of financial education workshops for more than 80 women who attend the Training Skills Program at our centers in Añatuya, 8 de Abril, Barrio Autonomía, Los Juríes, La Banda, and Suncho Corral. The goal was to provide practical tools to help them to better manage their finances and strengthen their economic independence.
Before the workshops, many of the women reported having limited contact with formal financial products such as bank accounts, credit cards, and bank transfers. However, the training had a positive impact: 74% of the participants began using bank branches to manage financial procedures. In addition, the use of ATMs increased from 41% to 93%, demonstrating a significant improvement in confidence and familiarity with banking tools.
There was also an increase in the use of financial services. Previously, 40% of the participants had a savings account as their only financial product. After the workshops, 14% incorporated credit cards, 11% began using bank transfers, and 11% opened additional bank accounts. The percentage of women without any financial product was also reduced, dropping from 11% to 6%.
We are proud to share that after the workshops, 81% of the women began seeking alternatives to generate additional incomes, often related to skills they learned in Haciendo Camino’s Training Skills Program, such as sewing, cooking, knitting, handicrafts, and selling other products and services.
Regarding saving habits, 59% of the participants began planning their food purchases in advance, and 18% chose to share resources with neighbors or friends. There was also an increase in the number of women who began saving money, demonstrating a greater awareness of the importance of managing finances effectively.
The impact of these training reflects the enthusiasm and confidence of the women we work with to continue learning and applying new knowledge in order to strengthen the economic resilience of their households. 39% reported sharing the new tools they learned with their families or communities, highlighting the multiplier effect of VISA’s training sessions.
These results inspire us to continue supporting initiatives like this and to explore new opportunities that allow us to better understand the realities faced by the families we accompany. In this way, we can provide more effective tools to help them achieve their own economic development.
