Our Team
(left to right)
Julie Wong, Jessica Congelliere, Marilyn Keyte, Carrie Akemann, Joy Souligny, Anthony Tandya, Abhilash Samuel, Rebecca Noyes

A little bit about FRAC (Tijuana, Mexico):

- Began operating in 1997

- Within the last year:

~ 50,316 Children have been impacted
~ 10,895 Borrowers
~ 17,970 Jobs have been impacted (either created or sustained because of
microfinance initiatives)

Can you dig it?

Our team

The Beautiful Children

Joy and the daughters of some of the borrowers

The Market

The hills in Tijuana

The Loan Process

Each group (usually made up of 5-10people) meets to sign their contract and agree to a loan repayment schedule.
Most groups meet once a week.

Each group appoints a President and Secretary.
This allows the women (and men) to take on the responsibility of management within the group,
it also provides stability in the chance of complications that may arise thoughout the loan duration.

Each borrower, along with paying their interest and loan payment each week, is required
to save a portion of their income in the group pot. This money is later returned
when the loan contract has reached its completion. It invokes a sense of great accomplishment
to have money to spare at the end of paying off one of these large loans.

Victor and his staff (on left) and Mauricio

This woman sells Avon products that she orders from a magazine.
She is on her 4th or 5th loan cycle through FRAC.

This woman owns and manages a food kiosk.
She makes civiche and other seafood dishes from the food her husband brings home as a fisherman.

This is one of the most successful women from FRAC.
She now operates at three different locations, and is able to offer her products on credit to some of her customers.

Abhi and Joy

A night at the beach...

The best food stop of the trip! Warning...beware of the jalapeno peppers on the counter!