Maria Otero
President and CEO of ACCION International
Mother of Justin, 24, David, 21, and Ana, 19
"I started working for ACCION International 20 years ago in Central America, where I lived with my family for three years. Spending time in the region, I saw how important microfinance is for developing countries, because it gives people the chance to use small loans to start their own businesses. Delia Fontela from Lima, Peru, is a typical ACCION borrower. Twenty years ago, she started with a loan of $30 to sell olives and cheese from a pushcart. Today she rents out 17 small apartments, and her daughter runs the neighborhood minimart. Women are really the focus of microfinance, and giving them the opportunity to start businesses that they can run while taking care of their children is one very powerful way to help them improve their families' lives. Microfinance reaches poor people all around the world—whether you?re talking about Africa or Latin America or Asia. It?s not charity, but it recognizes the power and dignity of each individual."
Next Page: Cynthia Nixon
