Mi Bici

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About Costa Rica

• Population 4.94million. 38 lives in rural
  communities. www.prdr.org
• We export more than 4.500 different products to
  more than 146 countries. (1st pineapple
  exporters, 4th technology exporters).
  www.procomer.com
• 25 of our territory is protected forest
  (National Parks and others). http//areasyparques.
  com
• No army since 1948.

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Costa Rica
www.esencialcostarica.com
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About FINCA Costa Rica

• FINCA is a Non Profit Organization established in
  Costa Rica in the year 1984.
• We operate in more than 130 rural communities in
  the rural areas of the country.

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Our Work

• We help rural communities establish microfinance
  organizations owned and operated by their
  members.

Katsi, Costa Rica
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Community based Microfinance Organizations

• They operate with equity raised by their own
  members.

Amubri, Costa Rica.
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Community based Microfinance Organizations

• FINCA teaches the community members how to
  operate their own microfinance organizations.

El Encanto, Costa Rica.
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Different uses of the microloans
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The Bicycle Project

• Thanks to BFW, in 2005 we imported the first
  container with more than 500 bicycles.
• It was a pilot project with to main objectives
• Give the communities clean and cheap
  transportation.
• Raise funds for the microfinance program.

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The Bicycle Project

• At the beginning it was difficult to find the
  best structure for the program to operate with.
• During the first years we used to rent warehouses
  in San José. From there we sent the bikes to
  different groups in rural communities.

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The Bicycle Project

• After the first years and a lot of hard work, we
  understood that the best way to operate was to
  send the containers directly to the rural
  communities.

Suretka, Costa Rica
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The Bicycle Project

• With this strategy, we have not only lower our
  costs, but also empower the rural communities
  with the bicycle project.

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The Bicycle Project
Talamanca, Costa Rica
Pital, Costa Rica
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Results

• Almost 20.000 bicycles in Costa Rica since 2005.
• In more than 30 rural communities.
• 30 Rural Microcredit Organizations have grown
  thanks to the Bicycle Program.

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Results
70.000th bicycle.
Visit of the BFW staff to Costa Rica, 2014.
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Whats next

• Every inhabitant of Costa Rica should have the
  right to two things
• 1.Adequate financial services.
• 2. Access to cheap and clean transportation.

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Thank you!
Luis Jiménez, Executive Director