ACCION International · Boston, MA United States

This group helps people take action to help themselves. ACCION International, Spanish for "action," gives the poor the means to achieve economic independence by providing micro loans for starting small businesses. Enterprises are typically making and selling food, sewing clothing, or growing and selling produce. The organization works with lenders to support programs in about 20 countries in Africa, Asia/Pacific, the Caribbean, and Latin America. It loans about $5 billion each year to nearly 3 million people. First-time loans average about $600 each. The program's repayment rate is more than 97%. ACCION was formed in 1961 to fight poverty in Latin American cities. To read the full description, subscribe now.