Belcorp Women Entrepreneurs Program
This initiative aims to reduce the gaps in knowledge, confidence, and capabilities affecting women entrepreneurs in Central America.
The Challenge
Educational, economic, and social gaps continue to affect vulnerable women worldwide. In Latin America, 1 in 3 households is headed by a woman (CAF, 2018). Various studies show that when women engage in entrepreneurship, they reinvest up to 90% of their income in education, health, and the well-being of their families—making them a powerful social driver for economic growth and development. However, significant challenges persist in the region. Globally, less than a quarter of MSMEs are owned by women (23%), while women represent nearly one-third of the unmet demand for credit, highlighting the barriers they still face in accessing finance. In Central America, female entrepreneurship is often driven by necessity and concentrated in small-scale trade and service activities. In addition, fewer women are able to consolidate their businesses compared to men, reflecting lower business survival and growth rates, according to IDB Lab (2025). The gaps in digitalization, access to networks, and training continue to limit their ability to scale. In other words, in contexts marked by a lack of decent work and barriers such as limited access to care systems, women’s entrepreneurship emerges as a survival mechanism—one that sustains not only these women, but also their families. A nivel mundial, menos de una cuarta parte de las mipymes pertenecen a mujeres (23%), mientras que ellas representan casi un tercio de la demanda insatisfecha de crédito, reflejando las barreras que aún enfrentan para acceder a financiamiento. En Centroamérica, el emprendimiento femenino suele estar impulsado por la necesidad y concentrado en actividades de comercio y servicios de pequeña escala. A esto se suma que menos mujeres logran consolidar sus negocios en comparación con los hombres, lo que refleja menores tasas de supervivencia y crecimiento empresarial, de acuerdo con BID LAB (2025). La brecha en digitalización, acceso a redes y formación aún limita su crecimiento a gran escala. En otras palabras, en contextos marcados por la escasez de trabajo decente y por barreras como la falta de redes de cuido el emprendimiento femenino emerge como un mecanismo de supervivencia, que sostiene no solo a estas mujeres, sino también a sus familias.
The Solution
“Investing in women is investing in sustainable development.” As Gerardine Mukeshimana, Vice President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), notes, it helps build stronger institutions, economies, and communities. Similarly, Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations at the World Food Programme (WFP), emphasizes that when we invest in women and girls, we uplift entire communities—advancing the fight against hunger and malnutrition by empowering women to lead. With this conviction, Fundación Belcorp—the social arm of Belcorp Group—took action alongside its brands L’Bel, Ésika, and Cyzone. In partnership with FUNDES, it launched the Women Entrepreneurs Program, bringing together 412 women from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and El Salvador to strengthen their personal, financial, and commercial capabilities, while fostering empowerment and the sustainable growth of their businesses. Of the participants, 315 were already connected to Belcorp Group, while 97 joined as new entrepreneurs. All took part in a comprehensive training process that combined socio-emotional development with practical skills in finance, sales, and digital marketing. Delivered through both virtual and in-person sessions, the program ensured strong participation despite the diverse contexts and daily realities of the women involved. While all participants successfully graduated, the program’s true impact goes beyond certification. It is reflected in tangible changes in their lives—transformations that the women themselves express in their own words.
Testimonios
"“I learned how to better manage my business and understand what my real profits are.”"
"“Today, I manage my finances more consciously, have strengthened my commercial strategy, value my work more, and can envision more structured and sustainable growth for my business.”"
