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This is a local currency (LCY) project, which means that the liability of the Investee is in LCY, while the note held by the investors is denominated in EUR. This is possible thanks to the hedging agreement between the Lendahand FX Foundation and The Currency Exchange Fund N.V. (TCX). 

Summary

COOPAC Kori is a savings and lending cooperative that started operations in Arequipa (Peru) in 2013 and is active in the regions of Lima and Arequipa. Kori offers individual and group loans to the MSME sector, where the group loans (named SUMAQ WARMI) are offered to female entrepreneurs that will have to form a group, where the group acts as a guarantor and the individual loans are offered to MSMEs with a stable business and a financing need to increase their working capital or invest in productive assets. Kori is regulated by the Superintendence in Peru and provides savings and takes deposits. 

Mission

We are a formal financial institution, with a focus on financial inclusion, which seeks the progress of people with criteria of efficiency that allows sustainable growth.

Vision

To be agents of change to become the national benchmark for financial inclusion.

Use of Proceeds / Loan purpose

The project for the amount of EUR 400,000 will be destined for the placement of credits which I proceed to detail:

• The financing will be destined to women from peri-urban areas of the city of Lima as working capital.
• The benefited members belong to the type of microenterprise product of the commerce sector.
• The total number of benefited members will be 1170 with an average disbursed balance of EUR 350
• The total of groups are approximately 50

More information about #of entrepreneurs reached, sectors, type of loans & impact:

250,000 That's how many women entrepreneurs Lendahand's new portfolio company Kori has supported to grow so far. Cooperative Kori, based in Peru, focuses on the financial growth of people who have their own businesses and offers group loans for women entrepreneurs. 

Sumaq Warmi 

Lendahand is proud to add Kori as an investment opportunity to the platform. Specifically their product Sumaq Warmi, Quechuan (an indiginous language in Peru) for Wonderful Woman, which represents Kori's primary focus. To allow female entrepreneurs to grow their business. Mainly active in the informal labor sector, Peruvian women lack access to the financial system. Kori brings borrowers together by offering group loans and goes the extra mile to motivate them to empower each other by organizing encounters and group activities. Since Covid-19, the women send each other introduction videos and hold online group meetings.

Spurring small businesses

Entrepreneurship offers the surest path to prosperity in many parts of the world, but people living in remote areas - especially women - often lack access to business training. Kori accompanies their borrowers, having a business analyst guiding them to open both a bank and savings account.

According to the Peruvian government, 1.5 million micro and small enterprises throughout the country are led by women. Most of these female entrepreneurs started out of necessity; since their salary is not enough, they are unemployed or decided to look for a new step in their career. Previously, we wrote how the world's GDP would grow if more women participated in the labor force and which barriers they face. These obstacles are no different in Peru. Women are still more likely than men to hold the primary responsibility of unpaid work and caregiving within the home. They spend close to 40 hours per week on unpaid household activities, keeping them from economic advancement. Another barrier they continue to face, which is similar throughout the globe, is the lack of financing options. Through initiatives such as Sumaq Warmi, Kori enables opportunities for women and their families to keep growing.

The next generation

Compared to the 49% global labor force participation rate of women, Peru surpasses that average with 69%. Peruvian women are also intricately linked to our global economy and can break down barriers for women worldwide. By taking a step toward building and growing their businesses - be it formal or informal, small or medium - and getting access to funding, they empower the next generation of women in their country to do the same.