Pro Mujer furthers its commitment to the Northern Triangle in response to Vice President Kamala Harris’ Call to Action to promote inclusive economic opportunity

New York, NY – May 27, 2021 – Programs that address the immediate needs of vulnerable populations and offer hope that a secure and better future is possible for themselves and their children are essential to help stem migration due to need. Since its founding, Pro Mujer has targeted its social impact and development programs to precisely those segments of the population that are most likely to emigrate.  

In remarks before a meeting with private sector leaders in which Pro Mujer participated to discuss economic development in the NCAC, Vice President Harris said today, “The call to action is to bring these leaders and others together so that we can do what I think we can do best, which is make a commitment to get something done and then see it through, understanding that giving hope is not about just having a dream of giving hope, it is about action that results in tangible benefit that gives people a sense of what is possible for themselves and for their families.” 

For over 30 years, Pro Mujer has been at the forefront, driving inclusive economic opportunities for women in Latin America, and providing millions of families with access to finance, healthcare services, entrepreneurship support, and digital inclusion. By joining the Partnership for Central America in response to Vice President Harris’ Call to Action, Pro Mujer commits to reaching three million people in the Northern Triangle by bringing these services, directly and with the collaboration of local partners, to vulnerable communities, including low–income families, and rural and indigenous populations. In addition, Pro Mujer is structuring and launching blended finance vehicles to provide capital, technical assistance and capacity-building support to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Northern Triangle.  This critical support to MSMEs and the services Pro Mujer intends to bring to individuals and families will generate economic opportunity for these communities and directly address a major cause of migration from the region.    

“We are honored to join Vice President Harris’ Call to Action to send a message of hope to millions of people, in particular to women, who must be given reason to believe that their immediate needs are being addressed and reason to expect that a secure and better future is possible for themselves and their children,” said Maria Cavalcanti, President and CEO of Pro Mujer. “We look forward to a close collaboration with the Partnership for Central America to design, deploy and scale solutions addressing systemic problems that take time to solve.” 

Pro Mujer’s commitment to Central America extends back to 1996 when it established operations in Nicaragua, becoming a point of reference in the region and serving as a model for organizations delivering financial inclusion and health services to underserved families. Pro Mujer’s teams in Nicaragua and Mexico have long functioned as hubs for expansion into neighboring countries by collaborating with local partners in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.  

“With its deep knowledge and connection to the most marginalized segments of the population, and through three decades creating meaningful programs, Pro Mujer is uniquely positioned to rapidly create and implement the right programs. Pro Mujer’s presence in the region, will facilitate the execution of these initiatives, while its reputation as a trusted operator will facilitate critical partnerships with local civil society and the private sector,” added Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Carmen Correa.  

 About Pro Mujer 

For over 30 years, Pro Mujer has empowered women through an all-inclusive mix of services, enabling them to better provide for their families and play a critical role in the economic development of Latin America. Pro Mujer is a preeminent purpose-driven social enterprise and an industry leader in financial inclusion, impact investing, entrepreneurship, workforce reskilling, and healthcare with a women-centered approach in its innovative programs.   

Across its platforms and programs, Pro Mujer engages the most disadvantaged people, whose access to healthcare, education and financial services is often the most tenuous. Its programs and policies address the multiple interlocking systems of inequities women face at both macro and socio-structural levels, recognizing that a woman’s level of empowerment will vary, sometimes enormously, according to other criteria such as class or caste, ethnicity, relative wealth, age, education and family position among others. Pro Mujer leads thought leadership in gender lens investing in Latin America and plays an important role as an aggregator of blended capital focused on catalytic investment through innovative investment vehicles and financial products.   

Pro Mujer’s work is closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), delivering tangible results in eight SDGs: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, and 16.