About Fundación de Apoyo Comunitario y Social del Ecuador (FACES)
Fundacion de Apoyo Comunitario y Social del Ecuador (known by its Spanish acronym FACES) is a not for profit non-governmental organisation based in the city of Loja in southern Ecuador. Although it has promoted a wide range of development programmes, its primary activity has always been the provision of loans to low-income sectors of the population. It has been working continuously since it was established in 1991 and its activities cover most of the province of Loja, as well as part of the neighbouring provinces of Zamora-Chinchipe and El Oro in the south and the northern province of Pichincha.
What is FACES mission?
Its mission is ‘to contribute to the economic and social development of the southern region of Ecuador, in particular to facilitate empowerment of marginalised and/or vulnerable social and economic groups, through the provision of microfinance and other development projects’. It considers microfinance ‘as a tool that can be used to contribute to the empowerment of poor people’ particularly women who form more than 50% of borrowers.
What types of financial services does FACES provide?
It provides individual and group loans generally for periods of between 6-18 months for investment in business, agriculture and trade. It works in both urban and rural areas. It is not permitted to accept savings deposits.
How much interest does FACES charge?
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) charge higher rates of interest for several reasons. Firstly, the administrative costs of making many small loans are much higher than making fewer larger loans; secondly, they take more time assessing the feasibility of applications and thereby reducing risk because borrowers cannot offer traditional forms of collateral nor do they have salaried incomes; thirdly MFIs often operate in geographically remote areas with low population densities and this means that they incur greater operational costs; and fourthly they often accompany loans with a range of training and technical advice.
The most representative loan product of FACES funded by Lendwithcare attracts an Annual Percentage Rate (APR)* of 22.86%.
*The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a standard way of expressing the cost of a loan that allows for comparison between loans. It includes annual interest, insurance, and fees that the borrower must pay, and is expressed as a percentage of the amount borrowed.
Does FACES provide any training?
Yes, borrowers receive training in the following areas:
- Basic bookkeeping and loan management
- Health education (particularly in reproductive health, domestic violence, and basic hygiene)
- Promoting entrepreneurship and income-generating opportunities among clients with disabilities or with disabled members in their families
- Strengthening associative groups
Among agricultural borrowers it also promotes sustainable management of natural resources and informs farmers on the dangers of working with chemicals and the importance of protective equipment when fumigating.
Where can I find out more information about FACES?
Further information about FACES is available from the organisation’s website here.
FACES: Basic facts and figures (June 2025)
Full name: | Fundación de Apoyo Comunitario y Social del Ecuador |
Established: | 1991 |
Average loan size: | US$3,268 |
Number of active loans: | 27,340 |
Outstanding loans portfolio: | US$67,375,029 |
Portfolio at Risk (PAR) at 30 days*: | 9.6% |
Proportion of loans given to women: | 52% |
Proportion of loans given in rural areas: | 69% |
*PAR30 is a commonly used metric that provides an insight into the quality of an MFI's loan portfolio, which is generally its major asset and therefore its greatest source of risk. It is computed by dividing the amount of delinquent loans greater than 30 days over the total amount of the loan portfolio.
Ecuador: Basic facts and figures (August 2025)
Population: | 18.1 million* |
Currency: | US dollar* |
GDP per capita: | US$6,875* |
Inflation (GPD deflator): | 1.5%* |
Life expectancy: | 77 years* |
Percentage of population living on less than $1.90 a day: | 4.7%* |
Human Development Index ranking: | 88 (of 193 countries)** |
Population using safely managed drinking water: | 67%*** |
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): | 11**** |
Percentage of adults with a bank account: | 68%**** |
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