Blog #89: Mercado Global Update

We have been supporting Mercado Global (MG) with Project Grants since 2014; the following are some statistics from their 2016 Annual Report.  99% of MG artisans’ children are enrolled in school vs 35% nationally in Guatemala’s rural areas.  64% of MG artisans have a personal bank account, while only 27% of the indigenous population have bank accounts.  Over the past 2 years, their partner artisans have made important strides toward financial independence, with 70% of MG artisans having a household budget, compared to only 40% of artisans in 2013.  72% of MG artisans have reported saving or saving more since starting with Mercado Global as compared to 60% of artisans in 2013.  Clearly their programs are having a positive impact on the lives of the women and their families.