Unión MicroFinanza
Unión MicroFinanza is a non-profit organization which aims to provide microloans and expand markets in the rural mountains of La Unión, in western Honduras.
Working directly with farmers, UMF sponsors agriculturally based loans aimed to improve both the quantity and quality of goods produced. Not only do we focus on the production of coffee and other locally grown goods, but it is also our goal to improve market accessibility both within and outside of Honduras.
Learn more about our organization and approach at unionmicrofinanza.org.
Who We Work With
Our clients are rural farmers.
They are spread throughout the 32 villages surrounding La Unión, which range in size from 40 to 400 people. Nestled between rolling mountains, the farmers depart for their plots of land scattered along the mountainsides. Though you can often find experimental vegetable and fruit fields, most of our clients have been growing coffee for generations on the same lands where they worked with their fathers as a teenager, learning how to live off the land.
Learn more about the farmers we help.
How We Help
Providing loans to farmers is the basis of UMF’s approach to rural development.
These loans are specifically designed for agricultural producers. The will primarily be used to purchase adequate fertilizer, better seeds, and more efficient tools. Loans will reflect crop harvest cycles in order to match the inconsistent income of the farmers. When used correctly, farmers can more than double their harvest. If an individual fails to repay their loan, the community will be responsible work together to encourage and help him.
Though microloans are the backbone of UMF, we understand that money alone is not sufficient enough for sustained socioeconomic development.
We hold weekly town meetings in village schoolrooms not only to distribute loans and collect repayments, but to teach basic business practices, demonstrate improved agricultural techniques, educate people on proper healthcare, and open up constructive dialogues on all aspects of life.