Friendship Bridge

Double Your Impact!

We are thrilled to announce that a generous group of donors have contributed a $50,000 match for Colorado Gives Day! This means that every donation you make will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000, effectively doubling its value. This Colorado Gives Day, you can help women entrepreneurs in Guatemala take a powerful step toward success.

Friendship Bridge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social enterprise with a mission to create opportunities that empower Guatemalan women to build a better life. Established in 1990 and headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, Friendship Bridge operates 13 branch offices in Guatemala and provides a suite of products and services including microcredit, Non-Formal Education, and access to culturally-appropriate healthcare.

Clients are 100% women, primarily indigenous Maya, and live in rural communities with some of the highest poverty levels worldwide. Annually, Friendship Bridge supports over 36,000 women, and through our programming we are changing how clients see, respond to, and overcome the protracted issues of poverty for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Thank you for donating to Friendship Bridge! #GiveWhereYouLive

Testimonials

"They always told me, 'We fight together, and we'll win together.' Now I'm here talking about my victory. I want other women to hear my story. It could save their lives. It's our job to make the decision to defeat sickness; if I can do it, another woman can do it too."
—Friendship Bridge client, after defeating cancer with the help of Friendship Bridge's Health for Life program

"I like being a leader. Right now, I have about 28 employees. I'm thankful that Friendship Bridge focused on helping women because [now] we have advanced. I used to be too scared to work. I learned that we as women can overcome challenges and fight for our children."
—Olga, Friendship Bridge client

"A woman entrepreneur is, for example in my case, a person who sets goals and who no matter what, gets it done. Credit helps a lot as long as it is invested. Thank God, Friendship Bridge gave me a hand up to reach my goals."

—Delfina, Friendship Bridge client

“I have been moved time and again visiting Friendship Bridge’s clients in Guatemala. In spite of their extreme poverty and limited opportunity, they are some of the bravest, most hard-working women I’ve ever seen. With small loans from Friendship Bridge, they start and grow small businesses that allow them to have increased food security, to educate their children, to improve their homes, and to build better lives for themselves and their families. Friendship Bridge is all about building individual capacity. Through its training programs, preventive health care, and microcredit, it provides a 'hand up' rather than a 'hand out.' Seeing the positive changes in our clients’ lives is one of the most inspiring things I have ever witnessed.”
—Susan Zimmermann, Board member