At a time when the financial system and many entities have expanded their microcredit disbursements and in fact this is the only modality that shows real growth, In several departments, the difficult public order situation is pushing the so-called ‘drop by drop’ to grow again.
(More: Microcredit should not have the highest rates, according to Superfinanciero).
This was denounced by María Clara Hoyos, president of Asomicrofinanzas, at the opening of the union’s congress.
He stressed that the 40 entities affiliated with Asomicrofinanzas have coverage in the 1,104 municipalities of the country, the gross portfolio amounts to $21.4 billion Of which 31.3% are in rural municipalities, 2,765,303 micro-entrepreneurs are served, 52% of the beneficiaries are women, there are 2,867 offices nationwide and 9,084 specialized advisors and so far this year $6.79 billion have been disbursed in 857,455 operations.
(Read: Education and fintech, the solutions to the famous ‘drop by drop’ loans).
He explained that more than 1.5 million micro-businesses in the popular, urban and rural productive segments were positively impacted, that is, with microcredits between 0 and 6 minimum wages.
He highlighted that in the 2023 Financial Inclusion Report of the Financial Superintendency and Banking of Opportunities, in relation to gender gapsThe average amount of microcredits was $7.3 million for men and $6.2 million for women.
“In our profession we know that women are organized and duly pay their financial commitments, we know that there are more than enough reasons to continue committed to their empowerment and that through them we contribute to the growth of the population, the popular economy and achieve a reduction in domestic violence.“, said Maria Clara Hoyos in this regard.
(See: What is the initiative that seeks to end ‘drop by drop’ loans?).
However, he warned that after a survey carried out among associates to find out the perspective of security and public order in Colombia, it was reported 466 cases against 14 entities in 27 departments.
Drop by drop.
The most affected were Cauca with 130 cases, Huila with 53, Nariño with 51, Valle del Cauca with 47 and Antioquia with 34.
Likewise, it was found that these effects refer to the presence of armed groups in 191 cases, restriction of entry or common crime in 120 cases, extortion in 57 cases, and kidnappings or detentions of officials in 43 cases.
Given the worrying situation, María Clara Hoyos said that this The security situation facing the country is delicate, since these departments had been rescued from the clutches of the gota a gotahave to be abandoned due to lack of working conditions.
“While we work to overcome poverty, we ask for security to be able to carry out our work. It is essential that the life and integrity of our associates’ workers and the general public be respected.“, he pointed out.
(More: Why the country’s usury rate could be benefiting ‘drop by drop’ loans).
The president of the board of directors of Asomicrofinanzas Paulo Emilio Rivas, said that the microfinance sector has made great progress in transforming the lives of Colombians, so much so that Banca de las Oportunidades reports that 19 out of 20 adults have at least one financial product or service. The number of adults with low-value deposits and monetary transactions through digital channels also increased.
The Deputy Minister of Finance, Diego Guevara Castañeda, acknowledged the challenges faced by workers in the popular economy sector, such as insufficient appreciation of their work, job insecurity and difficulties in accessing the formal financial system. He highlighted the importance of microfinance in closing this access gap in favor of the development of this important sector of the country’s economy, which has a positive impact on job creation, local economic dynamism and the production of goods and services.
Holman Rodriguez Martinez
BRIEFCASE
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