Dominican Agencies Boost Micro-entrepreneur Access to Credit, Digital Skills

SANTO DOMINGO ESTE, Dominican Republic – Hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs in the Los Minas neighborhood of Santo Domingo Este gained access to credit, training, and digital skills Sunday as government agencies Promipyme and Indotel launched a joint initiative aimed at boosting financial inclusion and technological transformation.

Vice President Raquel Peña attended the event at the Los Minas Sports and Cultural Club. She commended the coordinated efforts of Fabricio Gómez Mazara, director general of Promipyme, and Guido Gómez Mazara, president of Indotel’s Board of Directors, for fostering social inclusion and economic growth.

Peña stated that the combined support from Promipyme and Indotel would have a lasting impact. "We are seeking for communities to continue advancing, contributing to a more modern, more sustainable country," she said. Peña added that the Dominican Republic is undergoing a transformation aligned with President Luis Abinader’s vision for inclusive access to the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) sector.

The vice president emphasized the goal of formalizing 350,000 MSMEs by 2028, highlighting their crucial role in economic sustainability. She also expressed pride that 82% of Promipyme’s financing targets women, underscoring the government's commitment to female leadership. Peña concluded by reiterating that access to credit and technological training directly contributes to poverty reduction.

During the event, Promipyme announced the allocation of 231 million Dominican pesos (approximately $3.9 million USD) in credit to 864 micro-entrepreneurs. Of these loans, 66% were directed to businesses led by women, reflecting an institutional commitment to narrowing structural gender and regional disparities.

Fabricio Gómez Mazara, Promipyme’s director, underscored the transformative nature of these interventions. "We work to deliver our credits where people live, correcting inequalities that affect thousands of micro-entrepreneurs," he stated. "Credit and financial education are real tools for more Dominicans to enter the productive fabric."

Indotel announced plans to provide 130,000 digital scholarships nationwide during its 2025 initiatives. Guido Gómez Mazara, Indotel’s president, stressed the essential role of technology in improving daily life. "Here, we are not talking about theories," he said. "We are talking about how a digital tool allows a mother to manage a service, an entrepreneur to sell more, or a young person to access training that changes their future. That is what matters: data, impact, and solutions that work in practice."

Gómez Mazara explained that Indotel’s "Soy Digital" (I Am Digital) program aims to promote technological training as a key driver of employability. The program offers free courses designed to help young people and adults develop digital competencies aligned with current labor market demands.

This latest initiative builds on the government’s ongoing efforts to support micro-entrepreneurs and informal workers. Just two weeks prior, President Abinader oversaw the distribution of 150 million Dominican pesos (approximately $2.5 million USD) in Promipyme credits and Indotel-managed technology scholarships in Circunscripción 3. This is part of a broader national strategy combining financing access and free training to reduce poverty and enhance social mobility.

The Los Minas event reinforces a public policy that integrates financing, financial education, and digital training. Promipyme and Indotel plan further deployments in other communities across Greater Santo Domingo.