REDIMIF: Building an Equal and Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Participating via its Guatemalan affiliate REDIMIF, the Microfinance Network of Central America and the Caribbean (REDCAMIF) shared its perspective on the panel “Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Establishing Support Networks” at the GLI Forum LatAm 2022.

Manuel García, President of the REDIMIF Board of Directors, participated on a panel alongside Daniela Peralvo, Co-founder and Director of IMPAQTO; Andrea Mazariegos, Project Lead – Action Research at Swisscontact; Gabriela Torres, Project Manager at Tech4DevHN; and María Eugenia Tabush, Director of Foreign Investment Promotion Agency for Guatemala at the Private Sector Agency for Guatemala.

REDCAMIF is a regional network that supports financial inclusion through programs, projects, and services that strengthen the skills, efficiency, and resilience of financial and non-financial service providers, with a focus on supporting the social and economic development of urban and rural small and medium businesses.

An expert in the field, Manuel García spoke about the importance of building financial and non-financial services with a gender perspective that considers the needs of women and helps them move forward.

The panelists also highlighted that women’s inability to provide the guarantees required by traditional financial institutions continues to be one of the most significant barriers to accessing financing, particularly for marginalized or vulnerable women.

During the discussion, it became clear that the evidence shows that beyond the technical aspects of these products and services, women entrepreneurs also look for ongoing support, close relationships, and the human factor.

Panelists also highlighted the importance of building innovative and strategic enablers to expand women’s access to capital, e.g., the use of different technologies.