Nicaragua
WHAT WE DO
Overcoming poverty through entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Nicaragua
"End poverty in all its forms everywhere."
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #1: No Poverty
For many entrepreneurs in Nicaragua, access to financial services can be the difference between surviving and thriving. Small business owners often face barriers to traditional banking, limiting their ability to invest in inventory, purchase equipment, or expand their operations. Through access to loans, training, and business support, Opportunity is helping women and men build stronger businesses, increase household incomes, and create greater financial stability for their families. Beyond financing, entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and confidence needed to manage their businesses, navigate challenges, and plan for the future. As businesses grow, they create opportunities not only for entrepreneurs themselves, but also for their employees, families, and communities, helping to drive local economic development and long-term resilience.
Why Nicaragua?
- 6.9M population
- 41% of Nicaraguans live in rural areas, and 31% of the labor force is employed in agriculture
- 29% of Nicaraguans live below the national poverty line
- 28% of adults have an account at a financial institution
How we create opportunity.
Microfinance
Microfinance helps entrepreneurs access the loans, training, and financial services they need to start and grow businesses. As incomes increase, families strengthen their financial security, create jobs, and build brighter futures.
Solidarity Groups
Solidarity Groups bring entrepreneurs together to access microloans, strengthen financial skills, and support one another as they grow their businesses. Members build confidence, increase household incomes, and create stronger, more resilient communities.
See how your support is alleviating
poverty in the Nicaragua.
Latest results as of March 2026
CLIENT STORIES
Meet clients increasing resilience and hope for the future.
Ana Julia, Nicaragua
Ana Julia, a single mother from Nicaragua, transformed her life with Opportunity International’s support. Once struggling to provide for her children, she received a microloan to start a small sewing business. Now, she supports her family, employs local workers, and helps her daughter with college expenses. Her story exemplifies the power of microfinance to break the cycle of poverty.
Karla, Nicaragua
Karla’s bustling household is a hub of activity, where she resides with her four children and twenty other relatives in a shared family home. Space is a precious commodity in their crowded living environment, but Karla has ingeniously carved out her own corner, where she has nurtured a thriving business that’s reshaping her life.
Iveth, Nicaragua
Five years ago, Iveth was unemployed and struggling to support her family, including her husband, who requires regular dialysis treatments. With a small loan and business training from ASODENIC, she started a roadside snack stand near a busy bus terminal in central Nicaragua. What began with a few buckets of supplies has grown into a thriving business selling drinks, pastries, and snacks. Through hard work, financial discipline, and ongoing support, Iveth has been able to support her family, improve her home, and invest in her business. Today, she dreams of expanding her stand into a fast-food business, proving how access to opportunity can help entrepreneurs overcome challenges and build brighter futures.