BanComun de la frontera micro credit Nogales Mexico

	EnComun (formerly BanComún) is promoting economic well-being and empowering the working poor, especially women, in the northern border cities of Mexico. Small loans and business support are provided to "the poorest of the poor" to enable them to start sustainable businesses and escape poverty. EnComún offers accessible credit to sectors of the population that would not otherwise be able to obtain credit at a reasonable rate of interest. EnComún is a not-for-profit microfinance institution currently operating in Nogales and Cuidad Juarez, México.
	Bi-weekly meeting with a borrowing group
	EnComún gives small loans (US$100-$600) to individuals in poor communities on northern border cities in Mexico to help them start and/or grow their business. Amounts can increase build good payment records. The loans are given in 4 month cycles; hence, every 4 months the loans must be paid back. The people receiving the loans must form groups of 10-15 people. Their only collateral is solitarity within the group. Everyone in a group must pay their loan or no one in the group receives another loan. Loan payment installments are made every two weeks. Participants are required to save 10% of their loan amount, which is given to them at the end of each cycle. EnComún provides basic business classes, business support and health-care resources, to help the participants succeed.
	Initial meeting with the borrowing group called 'El Progreso'
	EnComún was started with support from BorderLinks and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). CRS is among the major players in the microfinance world with a network of in 31 country programs supporting microfinancial institutions with nearly 1 million participants. EnComún is using CRS methodology and continues to receive technical support from CRS.