Friendship Bridge

The team of Friendship Bridge in the US and Guatemala is extraordinary! Big smiles, kindness and professionalism are a few things you can see in any interaction. It was so impactful to have a spontaneous conversation with someone from Guatemala recently, and hear all the different ways the community has changed and is doing better through the support that Friendship Bridge provides in that town. The Families in that town have been able to build houses, understand the importance of education and many of them had improved their lives by learning finances and the importance of supporting small business owners. Thank you so much for all you do, dear Friendship Bridge!

Fatima A. B.

Friendship Bridge organized a trip for a colleague and I through in the Lake Atitlan area. The professionalism of the staff and thoughtfulness of the organization's approach to supporting women throughout the region left us so impressed. The stories that women shared with us made it clear how important FB is and will continue to be for individual women and their families.

I went to Guatemala on an Insite Trip. I was so impressed with what i had learned and seen that I encouraged all my friends to go in the future. I was moved by the innovative approach to introducing change, the respect of the staff for the indigenous people and their culture, and by the connections that were established. I was moved to tears by the stories shared by women; how their lives have changed and how differently they feel about themselves. Experiencing success and autonomy has empowered so many lives touched by Friendship Bridge - that was the highlight for me.

Friendship Bridge is an amazing organization that I am privileged to work with. I have only been with this organization for a short time, but I was aware of their mission and impact on society for years before I got involved. The people who work for Friendship Bridge are kind and so passionate about the work that they do. I was lucky enough to travel to Guatemala for the first time in November of 2024. Getting to see the clients that Friendship Bridge helps in person was extremely life changing. These women are some of the most motivated, empowered, and strong people I have ever met.

I am so thankful that I get to contribute to this organization as much as I am able to. The Handmade artisan items are extremely high quality and make amazing gifts. My friends and family have loved every christmas present they've received from me that I purchased from Handmade by Friendship Bridge. And the fact that buying these items also helps the women who make them is such a wonderful feeling.

I love to visit their store is full of stories and colors and knowing that they are empowering and inspiring women in Guatemala and how that impact ripples in their family and their community is just wonderful. Love their products, they are made with so much love and dedication.

Being part of Friendship Bridge as both a Board member for nearly a year and a donor has been such a meaningful experience. What drew me to this incredible organization is its unwavering commitment to empowering indigenous women in Guatemala through microcredit loans, education, and healthcare. But it’s not just about financial resources—Friendship Bridge provides women with the tools and knowledge to grow their businesses and care for their families, which in turn uplifts entire communities.

One program that really stood out to me is Health for Life. Through mobile clinics, Friendship Bridge brings essential healthcare and education to remote areas, addressing critical needs like hypertension and diabetes while fostering overall wellness. Seeing this integrated approach to economic empowerment, education, and health in action during an insight trip to Guatemala in 2022 was nothing short of inspiring.

Friendship Bridge is a mission-driven organization that truly walks the talk, blending compassion with tangible, life-changing impact. The resilience and success stories shared by the women they serve are a testament to the incredible work being done. I’m proud to support Friendship Bridge and wholeheartedly encourage others to join me in backing this transformative organization.

I have been privileged to work with Friendship Bridge for four years now but have been well aware of the phenomenal work they do to empower women in Guatemala for years. My first trip to Guatemala was in 2007 on an insight trip - it was life changing and had a powerful impact on my life. I am so impressed with the management and all the individuals who are involved in this great organization. Compassionate and passionate would best be the words best to describe all those involved with this great nonprofit.

I have volunteered at Friendship Bridge a number of times. I am so impressed with their organization and the work they do to funnel funds directly to women in Guatemala. Their fundraising is unusual in that they rely on a network of friendship circles across the U.S. that independently raise funds using a variety of locally appropriate activities. The organization also operates its own program in Guatemala, rather than working through intermediaries, which makes for more efficient use of the funds raised here in the U.S.

My daughter and I have volunteered with Friendship Bridge the past two years. It is such a welcoming community with great impact on the people served. It is a privilege to be involved.

I have volunteered at two events for Friendship Bridge (SuaveFest 2023 and Solteca in 2024). The FB team was so welcoming, kind, and fun to spend the afternoon with. I feel so much passion for your mission and the items on sale are incredible. I especially love the handbags and the bird necklaces. I was also impressed with how Juliana managed the booth, particularly at Solteca. She was on top of every detail, has a real eye for staging, and was joyful and enthusiastic with every person who came to the table. Friendship Bridge not only has a wonderful mission, it follows through with that mission with real world impacts, and so I would be honored to volunteer for them any time!

I spent a week volunteering with Handmade by Friendship Bridge in Panajachel, Guatemala and it was fantastic! Everything was very well organised and they really helped me settle into Pana. It was a wonderful experience working in the office with such a supportive and hard-working group of women. Everyone was so incredibly kind and welcoming. The work being done in Panajachel is truly inspiring, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it, even if it was only for a short time. Such an amazing opportunity!

I've been a member of a Friendship Bridge circle for almost 10 years. I have traveled to Guatemala twice on their excellent Insight trips to see first hand the impact they have on their client's lives. The Trust Bank system of loan repayment has been very successful. They are a highly rated Micro-finance organization and offer their clients so much more than just loans. There are educational programs and mentoring. Friendship Bridge facilitates health screenings through a Mayan Health for woman who may have never had any health screenings due to living in remote villages or not speaking Spanish. The clients are better able support their families, keep their kids in school and make their communities stronger. Friendship Bridge Empowers Women!

Friendship Bridge is an amazing "Microcredit Plus" organization serving around 35,000 underserved women with a loan, monthly educational training and bi-monthly healthcare services. This program is essential to the success of these hard-working and motivated women as they have little or no formal education and healthcare is challenging to access where most of them live.
I am an enthusiastic member of a Support Circle here in California and also part of a small team that translates and writes reports of individual Friendship Bridge clients These narratives are posted on the KIVA website and lenders can fund loans for these women from all parts of the world!
Friendship Bridge is a "win-win" for me as well as I get to use my education experience and passion to benefit these women. I am happy to submit this review!

we first visited Friendship Bridge in the field with a board member almost 10 years ago and have been consistent supporters ever since. it's a simple, yet powerful set of tools they bring to enable this amazing community of guatemaltecas--women who want to elevate themselves through their own skills and hard work, instead of relying upon subsidy or help from others. Friendship Bridge is changing the arc of well-being for generations of hard working women in rural Guatemala. we are proud to be supporters.

I am newly involved with Friendship Bridge - I was first introduced to them through a Handmade event and learned about the microfinance, education, and health services they provide to women in Guatemala. One thing that stands out the most to me is not only their dedication to empowering women, but how they work and support each other as a team. The mission is reflected from all who are involved in the organization and it is clear the passion that they all have for the work. I am excited to continue to learn with this amazing organization! 

I have been a supporter of Friendship Bridge for a year now. Their nonprofit stood out to me because of their micro credit loan program to women in Guatemala, as well as their Health for Life program to women throughout the country. These micro credit loans help women change their lives by not only offering indigenous women the money they need to start a business, but also teaching them how to effectively manage their businesses by teaching technical and advanced business skills to help them be successful for the long term. I was also impressed that Friendship Bridge also offers women much needed healthcare services with mobile clinics to the villages of rural and indigenous women offering diabetes, hypertension, etc. screenings and medical care, as well as education they would not otherwise receive. Friendship Bridge is a fast growing nonprofit that invests in humanity in a daily hardworking, hands-on way to the indigenous women of Guatemala, and I have decided wholeheartedly to support them so that this much needed nonprofit will continue to grow strong into the future.

I have been involved with Friendship Bridge for over 10 years, first through friends and then from taking Insight Trips to see the work "on the ground" in Guatemala. Friendship Bridge (FB) does exceptional and life-changing work for thousands of the poorest of the poor: Guatemalan Mayan women in the Highlands racked with poverty. By providing educational services and micro-loans to these women, FB empowers and supports them in developing small business enterprises to lift up their families and communities.
It is remarkable: through these small loans from FB, these women become transformed. They reinvest the proceeds in improving their homes, their children's educations, their communities and their lives. I have watched these women stand up before an audience of gringos and speak with self-confidence and excitement and gratitude about what they have accomplished and what they plan for their futures. They are powerful and empowered women. FB has figured out how to unleash the entrepreneurial instincts and inherent desire of these women to better themselves and their families and communities. I have been deeply moved by seeing these women realizing their potential in difficult circumstances. It has made me feel that the contributions I make to FB are about the best philanthropic investments I could make.

Friendship Bridge is a remarkable organization that is changing the lives and giving opportunities to thousands of women in Guatemala. By providing small loans, preventive health care, and non formal education in a wide range of areas that support their businesses and their lives, Friendship Bridge helps its clients significantly improve their life circumstances. As a Board member and volunteer for eight years, I have traveled to Guatemala numerous times and visited many clients in their homes, at their businesses, and in trust banks. The stories they tell about being able to get electricity to their homes, replacing a dirt floor with concrete, or sending their children to school, even university, are inspiring. They attribute their success to the loans and overall support they have received from Friendship Bridge. I have committed financial resources and untold hours to Friendship Bridge, because I have seen over and over again the difference that it makes in raising very deserving and courageous women out of poverty. Friendship Bridge is an organization that walks its talk, is incredibly well run, and is completely transparent. I could not recommend it more highly.

Friendship Bridge impacts the lives of nearly 34,000 women each year. They provide the tools to empower women living in poverty in Guatemala by providing education, microfinance, and free preventive healthcare services. With 12 branch offices in Guatemala they are making a difference in the lives of so many!

I have been involved with Friendship Bridge since 2014. Many of the volunteers with this organization have contributed for their adult lives and this is because it's an amazing organization that makes huge impacts on the clients they serve. I've never been with a non-profit that is able to retain volunteers, donors and interest like this one. The mission is amazing and the people are the nicest!

All the employees and volunteers of Friendship Bridge care deeply about its mission of empowering women through education and skill-building. They work hard, care about honesty and transparency, and pay close attention to details in order achieve their mission.

I have been a volunteer for Friendship Bridge for around 20 years. It is still my number one humanitarian organization to support. The people involved deeply care about empowering women which ultimately uplifts their families and communities in Guatemala. I have visited Guatemala several times over the years and have witnessed the drive, incredible work ethic and impact these women are making. This is a quality organization that listens to their clients and clearly cares about the education, health and success of women.

I have been watching Friendship Bridge for over 15 years. They have personally connected with their 25,000+ clients, evaluating their needs and priorities. - from microcredit to education, health to leadership potential. They are constantly enhancing their offerings and responding to the current local crises (Covid, earthquakes, health...). They consistently gather feedback from clients and continue to have highest ratings from clients and staff (Best place to work in Central America 2022!). They are always educating clients about marketing strategies and opportunities. This is indeed a partnership. The Frieneship Bridge staff is mostly indigenous and local, speaking the many languages of our clients. The Board is committed to updating their strategic plan to repsond to changing economic conditions and current needs. They rank the highest in being transparent and accountable. I am a proud supporter of Friendship Bridge - a model for how to empower women as well as inspire and train future indigenous leaders in the community.

I have been a volunteer and also a contract development manager for Friendship Bridge since the year 2000. Friendship Bridge has an incredible spirit of giving back and making an impact on women in Guatemala. We have a strong team in the office in the US and in Guatemala. The team knows how to work hard and also to have FUN. We work together as a strong team and have been lifting up Guatemalan women by providing economic opportunities, education and more. The non-profit social enterprise, which mainly works with rural Guatemalan indigenous women, provides financial services, health education, agriculture and business technical training and more. The non-profit works with over 30 artisans who create shopping totes, jewelry, ornaments, and quality handmade crafted items. I love working with Friendship Bridge because it connects me to other like-minded individuals who care about empowering women.

Friendship Bridge (FB) truly is a stellar organization. I have been a FB volunteer for four years and have been on one insight trip to Guatemala where I got to meet some of the women whose lives have changed (for the better!) thanks to Friendship Bridge. They are making a real and positive difference in the lives of their clients and their work is so very important.

I love supporting anything that promotes women. I feel, as Friendship Bridge does, that if change is needed... find the women. When I discovered Friendship Bridge, I was blown away by the simplicity and effectiveness of the organization. Then I went on an Insight Trip where I got to meet staff, tour the office and educational facilities and learn about the medical programs. But the most convincing testament to the heart of Friendship Bridge was meeting the artisan clients themselves. Seeing them starting out many times as victims and growing into empowered women contributing to their families and communities. I've yet to see a charitable grassroots organization as successful as Friendship Bridge. Not to mention the value it has brought to my own life...meeting and working together with such amazing women!

Friendship Bridge is changing the lives and futures of tens of thousands of people by empowering women to become powerful agents of change through entrepreneurship and education. It’s amazing to see what these women are accomplishing. These are women who were previously not able to access the information and financial tools to achieve their potential. These women inspire their children and spouses and allow their families to thrive.

I have supported Friendship Bridge for over 21 years. It is an organization that works with and educates women and their families in Guatemala. As a microfinance organization, they give loans to women with businesses that are able to expand their business and repay the loan, with interest, on a monthly basis. Friendship Bridge's staff meet with small groups of women monthly and provide an education lesson to help the clients improve their businesses and their lives at home. These lessons are presented using pictures for those who were never able to attend school and can not read. Friendship Bridge also provides women's health care by bringing nurses to the client's home. This may be the first time a client has had a healthcare provider who speaks their language and will accompany them to a doctor for support. Mentors are also provided to give advice and education to farmers, artisans, food service and other professions. At this time, Friendship Bridge reaches more than 30,000 families and is continuing to grow. The organization has earned a Great Place to Work award for the last 3 years and has around 200 employees in Guatemala.

The BEST thing about Friendship Bridge is that they give a "Hand Up" not a "hand out"!

I first attended a fundraiser for this wonderful organization over 10 years ago, and tears began to flow the moment I watched a short video showing the clients who receive microcredit loans to support their small businesses. I knew I must be a part of this. I began to volunteer with Friendship Bridge and soon flew to Guatemala to see for myself the work that this organization does. I visited the Mayan women artisans, farmers, shop-keepers, went to their small-circle trust bank meetings where they learn not only better business practices to help grow their own small money-making enterprises, but also learn how to develop self-esteem and to better take care of their own health. These hard-working women repay their loans with amazing regularity and consistency. I don't know anyone who's been to see how Friendship Bridge actually works to change lives, who hasn't returned with renewed commitment to further this significant work. Please help us continue to serve this cause.

Friendship Bridge is a nonprofit that gets women on their feet financially, while cultivating courage and knowledge through microcredit and the education it requires to have a successful business. Through financial success, women gain independence and self-worth including other women in their communities. Friendship Bridge doesn't stop there and provides a healthcare program for the women involved in their microcredit program, providing preventative healthcare and subsequent treatment for women that need further assistance.

I have been a member of a Friendship Circle for several years now. I am so impressed at what the Friendship Bridge has done and keeps doing for the women of Guatemala. They keep working with these women and helping them grow their business and community with a hand up vs a hand out. Thank you Friendship Bridge!

Friendship Bridge is my number one humanitarian organization to support because they are very data and outcome based, which enables them to provide excellent and reliable services to indigenous women in Guatemala. The loans they offer have helped so many families move out of poverty and access education and improved health services. I have visited the program in Guatemala 4 times and always been so impressed with the impact.

I visited Guatemala several years ago to see the work Friendship Bridge is doing. I was overwhelmed by the circumstances of poverty combined with the hard work and dedication of our clients to each other and to improve their lives. The education given the women at each meeting was so well received. Friendship Bridge is looking at the problem of poverty holistically with their emphasis on women’s health, education, business skills and child raising.

I have been a volunteer with Friendship Bridge for one year. A year ago, I had the opportunity to find this organization because I wanted to give back to my country. I was born and raised in Guatemala, I know how hard it is when you are not lucky enough to have an education. This organization empowers women to build their own dream businesses and work solutions out of poverty. The indigenous woman is very smart and determined to make a difference in their communities. I am very glad I found this amazing organization that is building better lives for Guatemalan women. Every day I get inspired by every client story and how far they have come. It is true that women are the solution for poverty, they just need more opportunities to end poverty in Guatemala and around the world. I know how professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring this organization is. I feel privileged to be a part of Friendship Bridge.

As a volunteer with Friendship Bridge since 2008, I especially enjoy their Insight Trips to visit clients in Guatemala. It is rewarding to see what a huge impact a small loan coupled with education has on the daily lives of the women, their families, and their communities. The clients are always eager to share with us about their recent improvements such as the acquisition of electricity, the purchase of a sewing machine, or that they are now able to send all of their children (even the girls!) to school.

It is one thing to read about what Friendship Bridge does, but to actually experience it adds another dimension of understanding. The staff members, both here in the U.S. and in Guatemala, listen carefully to the clients and are able to tailor the educational, artisanal, agricultural, and medical programs to best fit their needs.

As a donor, I feel confident that Friendship Bridge provides their clients with services that are vital to both their business development and their overall wellbeing.

I've worked with Friendship Bridge for several years now. It's one of the most effective charities I've found. They have a board of directors that operates very professionally, that develops a strategic plan AND THEN CARRIES IT OUT. I also appreciate that they've begun measuring their achievements using a standard developed for international use by charities. It's good to know that Friendship Bridge isn't just relying on a bunch of feel-good anecdotes to gauge their progress.

A couple of years ago I visited their main office in Panajachel. I was able to talk with several of the employees there, and I can't tell you how impressed I was that every single person I spoke with was very clear about the purpose of the organization and enthusiastic about their part in accomplishing that purpose. That's a sign of excellent leadership.

I was also able to visit a number of clients in Guatemala, in two of the provinces. It's nearly overwhelming to me how hard it is to provide effective help for these women in these very poor, very challenging situations. And there's Friendship Bridge, providing not only micro-loans but also education, and now they also have additional programs to help artisans and food-raising businesses specifically to improve. And their partnership with Mayan Health is giving these clients access to health care that many have never had in their lives.

So, it's not only the need that brings me to support this charity, but it's the combination of good purpose, effective programs, sound fiscal management, and excellent leadership. And the huge amount of unmet need in that country. My husband and I expect to be lifelong contributors to this charity.

I have been a volunteer with Friendship Bridge for five years. Four years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel with a group of other volunteers to Guatemala on an Insight Visit, a one week tour organized by Friendship Bridge. We were able to visit our clients in their homes, and watch how they dyed their yarn in large pots over open fires in their back yards, using natural dyes made from various nearby plants. We attended several trust bank meetings, which are the monthly meetings of small groups (circles) of women in which they make installments to repay their loans, and participate in Friendship Bridge led training on topics to assist them in their businesses, health, family and community. We also got to meet the Guatemalan staff of Friendship Bridge, and see how competent and compassionate they were.
Karen Larson, CEO of Friendship Bridge, and other staff members have made several trips to central California where our circle of volunteers are located, so we know first hand how professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely caring this organization is. I feel privileged to be a part of Friendship Bridge.

I have been a supporter of Friendship Bridge for several years, and recently joined a board committee. This summer, my daughter was a volunteer intern with FB in Guatemala. I know the director fairly well, starting before she joined the organization. Karen is a business powerhouse and is doing great things for the organization. She is also very visible and well connected in the community. Previously she had a very high powered job in the equipment leasing division of Key Bank.

I am a finance person, and have looked at the organization's 2012 Form 990. The net cash flow is positive and the balance sheet looks fairly strong with over $1 million of cash reserves. I have visited women that they serve in Guatemala, who had used loan proceeds to start small businesses and were very appreciative.

I am very involved in the non-profit world and am completely impressed by this organization.

It is an absolute truth that when you educate girls and women and provide them with the opportunity to better themselves through business, they will lift their family, even their entire village, out of poverty. Friendship Bridge follows through on their promise to educate and empower women in rural areas of Guatemala through microcredit. Their success rate shows in the smiling faces of the women who have taken advantage of the microfinance opportunities offered by Friendship Bridge. This organization follows through by offering textile shows in the States, and educational opportunities in the villages of Guatemala. Women who use the resources provided by Friendship Bridge are seeing their children attending school and even achieving goals such as graduation from high school and college. These families are learning the tools to lift themselves from poverty, a skill that can be passed on to generation after generation. My experience as a donor to Friendship Bridge has been wonderful. They are responsive to the requests of donors, and I find that the operational expenses are well within the acceptable range. I know my money is going to directly benefit a woman in Guatemala who will use it to the betterment of her family and her village. If I had any criticism, it would be that I would like to see Friendship Bridge expand beyond the borders of Guatemala - but I understand that it is most beneficial to focus on one area than to spread beyond their means and become less effective.