Message from the Executive Director

Since 1985 they have been telling us that “it is impossible” or that “it cannot be done.” That a successful and solid credit, savings, insurance and financial education program for poor families excluded from the banking system cannot be created. That you cannot have youth entrepreneurship programs in all public schools in the country. That a bankrupt agricultural school cannot be turned into a new paradigm of self-sustaining education that transforms peasants into rural entrepreneurs. That multidimensional poverty that aects Paraguayan families cannot be eliminated. And much less can you export technology and provide technical assistance to more than 800 companies, organizations, and national and local governments in more than 52 countries.

Had we listened to these ideas, we would not be here today, promoting the creation of wealth; the generation of productive employment; teaching formal and non-formal content that really and eectively helps people solve their own problems. That is what Fundación Paraguaya is all about, to help people flourish according to their particular calling and self-determination. That is why our motto has remained the same for 38 years: Poverty-free Paraguay, an example for the world.

The year 2022 has brought along thousands of stories that attest to this: over 180,000 microcredits granted to some 80,000 families who also accessed training, entertainment, health, and micro-franchises; some 188,242 young people who have accessed our entrepreneurship programs; 90 rural entrepreneurs have graduated from our schools; and eight new countries adopted our Stoplight, reaching a total of 52 countries. All of them, part of these “impossible” that today are a reality of which we are proud.

If we run numbers, a microenterprise creates 1.5 jobs per year, then we have supported, strengthened and increased the family income of some 350,000 self-employed independent workers over the past 38 years, and we have created some 450,000 jobs in Paraguay.

Our oces in Tanzania, the United States and Ecuador are solid and have a dizzying growth. In the United States alone, there are already eight organizations working in 35 locations that are implementing the Stoplight. In Europe, we have been working in England for 10 years, in Portugal for a year, and this year we began to provide technical assistance to the European Commission for Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia.

Finally, given the financial forecasts that heralded a dicult year, our debts have been paid in full and we have been fortunate to generate a surplus. Our portfolio has grown, our delinquency is under control, and schools are recovering financially from the eects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our assets total USD 30 million, our liabilities USD 19 million, and our equity is USD 11 million. The surplus for the year was USD 872,000.

Many thanks to the Board of Directors for their continued support, for forming the Audit and Risk, Ethics, Agricultural Schools, Poverty Stoplight, and Compensation committees, for ensuring governance, and for helping us proactively identify the risks that may aect our programs; hence, our institution. Thank you very much also to all our more than 430 collaborators for being ambassadors of the impossible, defeating the voices of “it can’t be done” and giving your best every day, so that we can continue on the path towards building a world without poverty where we all want to live.

This is just the beginning!