HOPE’s initial expansion into Latin America came in 2005 when we entered into partnership with Esperanza International to work in the Dominican Republic. Building on the success of this model, HOPE and Esperanza joined forces to begin work in Haiti in 2006. Our Savings and Credit Associations in Peru are our newest program, bringing our country count to 16. Read on for a quick overview of our work in each Latin American country.

Dominican Republic

Background: According to a recent World Bank assessment, 43 percent of Dominicans live in poverty, despite a booming tourism industry; 16 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty. Employment in the Dominican Republic has been unequally divided by gender in the past 20 years, with approximately 63 percent of men but only 29 percent of women employed. According to 2010 data, one in five employed Dominicans remains poor, and one in 20 lives in extreme poverty. Continue Reading…