FACES 6

FACES

Company

Ecuador

Country

The project

FACES is a non-profit microfinance institution (MFI) in Ecuador that creates economic opportunities for vulnerable groups by offering individual and group loans. Their primary focus is on small entrepreneurs in agriculture and trade, with a special emphasis on women, who make up 51% of their borrowers.
 

What impact does your investment make?  
Ecuador faces serious economic challenges: 27% of the population lives in poverty, rising to 46% in rural areas. In 2023, the unemployment rate stood at 3.7%, with many people working in the informal sector without stable incomes or social security. Only 51% of the population has access to formal financial services.

FACES addresses these challenges by offering microloans and training to small entrepreneurs who lack access to traditional banking. Through training in financial management, business operations, and practical skills such as agricultural techniques, they help entrepreneurs stabilize their incomes and reduce poverty. By focusing on vulnerable groups, including women (54% of their borrowers), FACES directly contributes to improving living standards and strengthening Ecuador’s economic resilience.
 

What financial return could your investment generate? 

• Annual interest of 8%. 
• The maturity of the loan is 24 months. 
• Quarterly repayments: You will receive a repayment of your investment plus interest every three months, for a total of eight repayments.
• With an investment of 1,000 euros, the expected total repayment is 1,090 euros. 
• Please note that, although you invest in EUR, the loan is in USD. So there is a risk of exchange rate fluctuations between dollars and euros. For more information, see our currency page.
   

The story of FACES

FACES, the acronym for Fundación de Apoyo Comunitario y Social del Ecuador, is an NGO that has been providing microcredits to small entrepreneurs in Ecuador since 1991 to promote social and economic development. FACES helps entrepreneurs with drafting business plans, financial management, marketing strategies, and operational skills. Through these workshops, FACES provides entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and tools they need to expand their businesses successfully.
 

FACES in numbers

• Founded in 1991
• 55% of FACES's client profile is in rural areas
• 51% of their lenders are female entrepreneurs
• Loans are paid out within 24-48 hours after gathering business information
• In Ecuador, more than 900000 micro and small enterprises create 60% of all jobs.