By Ximena Medrano
September 16, 2024

Joleny Pérez, 22, lives with her family in the Mombacho community in Nicaragua where residents have limited access to formal financial institutions. When she was 19 years old, with support from World Renew, she and other members of her community established a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) and they began to contribute regularly to a savings pool. Once the pool had grown enough, members were able to take out low-interest loans.

Joleny serves as the president of her VSLA. She initially felt overwhelmed to be in a leadership position at such a young age, but she took on the challenge as none of the other group members had prior leadership experience.

Joleny remained committed to the VSLA, and soon she began to thrive in her role. “I faced the difficulty of leading people older than myself, but with perseverance and dedication, I have gained people’s respect and support,” Joleny shares. She says the VSLA has brought about change in her community, promoting a culture of saving and being organized.

Joleny also participated in a Farmer Field School program through World Renew, and learned crucial farming techniques to help improve her family’s crop yields. And by taking out loans through her VSLA she has been able to put what she learned into practice. She says, “I have been able to access loans to purchase agricultural inputs and seeds to invest in our bean and corn crops, which help us strengthen our economy and provide us with greater financial stability.”

Thanks to support like yours, young women like Joleny are discovering they are wonderfully made and full of potential–potential that they are tapping into to help their families journey away from poverty.