Disruption

Disruption follows the efforts of award-winning activist/economist group Fundación Capital, whose leaders work to create economic opportunities for Latin American women living in extreme poverty. Through interviews with FC leadership and program participants in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, filmmaker Pamela Yates examines three initiatives. In the first, impoverished mothers with school-age children receive “cash transfers” paid directly into bank accounts set up for them. Many are thus able to learn about banking for the first time and to meet their families' basic needs, but Fundación Capital wants to “scale up” so that those receiving assistance will continue to be financially viable after their children turn 18 and the payments stop. A second project encourages financial saving; even people in extreme poverty will set aside small amounts if encouraged to do so and if banks are willing to host modest accounts. A third undertaking brings personal-finance education to rural residents via tablet computers (with a colorful app designed to teach strategies for and benefits of money management that proves remarkably successful). Fundación Capital hopes to transform communities and eliminate poverty as women develop assets and begin to see themselves as agents of change—a vision that seems to be borne out, as participants not only save, but also teach their daughters to manage funds or start small businesses of their own. A moving account of visionary and successful efforts targeting some of the world's most disenfranchised but deeply appreciative and enthusiastic individuals, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Puffer-Rothenberg)