More than 1,000 women and their families strengthened their incomes, developed sustainable businesses, increased their savings, and gained access to tools for their economic autonomy and to prevent violence. 

In collaboration with the Ministry of Childhood and Adolescence of Paraguay and with funding from the International Development Research Centre IDRC, the Graduation Program was implemented, promoting the formation of 22 savings groups with more than 300 women participants. Five economic citizenship observatories were established to strengthen participation in decision-making. Through digital strategies, Añua Virtual de Luci Kyre’y was promoted, providing training in financial health, leadership, misinformation, and violence prevention via WhatsApp; ConHéctor, a chatbot with personalized information; and Apptitude and Igualdapp, platforms for financial education and gender equity in Guaraní. Additionally, in-person workshops on business management and financial planning were held, access to credit was facilitated through an alliance with the National Development Bank, resulting in more than 40 microcredits granted, and entrepreneurship fairs were organized to promote the commercialization of products.

Research Innovation 

The effects of digital strategies on the transformation of gender norms and the economic resilience of women were analyzed. Studies conducted in collaboration with McGill University demonstrated their impact on changing social beliefs.

During the pandemic, 72.3% of participants saw their economy affected, and 56.6% lost income. 86% used their savings for basic needs, highlighting the importance of savings groups. 

In addition, the digitization of these groups improved financial management, ensured privacy, and reduced errors in records, facilitating their scalability for the economic inclusion of women in vulnerable situations.