Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana

What Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana does

Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana, Inc. (MUDE) is a Dominican Republic nonprofit organization founded in 1980 by Jean Hurwitch and headquartered in Santo Domingo, with regional offices in Barahona, San Juan, and Santiago. Its mission is to contribute to the social and economic development of women in vulnerable situations and their families through two integrated programs: an Economic Development Program offering microcredit products (microenterprise loans of RD$30,001–RD$250,000, agricultural loans, home improvement loans up to RD$80,000, and educational loans), and a Social Development Program spanning rural organization, education and training, comprehensive health, infrastructure and sanitation, ecology, food security, and human rights subprograms.

MUDE operates on a nonprofit revenue model funded primarily through institutional grants from over 30 international donors and partners, including USAID (partner since 1993), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), UNDP, UNICEF, the European Union, AECID, the Embassy of Canada, Fondo Canadó, and multiple corporate and private foundations. The organization also generates earned revenue through microcredit portfolio interest, claiming a 100% repayment rate to funders on RD$1,000M+ in cumulative disbursements. The go-to-market is a community-led, field-based model: grassroots women's groups, community promoters, and 2,950 strengthened community networks serve as the primary delivery vehicle for services across 28 provinces and 526 communities, reaching 150,000+ women directly and 29M+ lives impacted in aggregate.

Operations are governed by a Board of Directors led by President Lucila Moscoso and managed by Executive Director Rosa Rita Álvarez, with 51-100 employees. MUDE holds no proprietary technology, patents, or AI capabilities; its core methodology is relational and community-based rather than platform-based. Recent strategic activity (2023-2025) has centered on gender-based violence prevention campaigns, local governance projects, and intergenerational community strengthening, often in consortium with other Dominican and international NGOs.

Name

Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana

Legal name

Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana, Inc.

Website

https://www.mude.org.do

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MUDE is a Dominican Republic nonprofit founded in 1980 that empowers women and families in vulnerable situations through microcredit, financial education, health, community infrastructure, and gender-based violence prevention programs, serving 150,000+ women across 28 provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance and Women's Development Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Microfinance services
• Women's empowerment programs
• Community development services
• Gender equity advocacy
• Social development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Santo Domingo

HQ country

Dominican Republic

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Grants: MUDE operates primarily on donor funding and grants from international organizations, governments, and foundations. The organization receives support from entities such as USAID, BID, AECID, European Union, PNUD, UNICEF, Fondo Canadá, Embassy of Canada, and various foundations. These funds finance social programs, microcredit operations, and development projects.
2. Microcredit Repayment and Portfolio: MUDE generates revenue through microcredit operations, with over RD$1,000 million in credits disbursed. The loan products include microenterprise loans (RD$30,001–RD$250,000), agricultural loans, home improvement loans (up to RD$80,000), and educational loans. All loans include debtor life insurance and last expenses coverage. The organization maintains a 100% repayment rate to funders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MUDE is a non-profit organization that delivers integrated social and economic development services to women in vulnerable situations in the Dominican Republic. Its Economic Development Program provides solidarity-group microcredits (microenterprise, agricultural, home improvement, and educational loans) alongside financial education and entrepreneurial support. Its Social Development Program delivers subprograms in rural organization, education and training, comprehensive health, infrastructure and sanitation, ecology and environment, food security and nutrition, and human rights, all delivered through community-based methodologies across 28 provinces and 526 communities.

Product overview

Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana (MUDE) operates two core programs: the Economic Development Program and the Social Development Program. The Economic Development Program offers microfinance products including microenterprise loans, agricultural loans, home improvement loans, and educational loans. The Social Development Program provides integrated services through subprograms focused on rural organization, education and training, comprehensive health, infrastructure and sanitation, ecology and environment, food security and nutrition, and human rights. Both programs work together to promote women's empowerment, financial inclusion, and community development for vulnerable populations in the Dominican Republic.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Programa de Desarrollo Económico Socioeconomic program providing financial and technical support to populations with limited access to resources, improving living conditions through microcredits, financial education, and entrepreneurship support.
• Préstamos a la Microempresa Microenterprise loans for services, commercial, and production activities ranging from RD$30,001 to RD$250,000, with terms of 6-24 months including debtor life insurance and last expenses coverage. Growth tier covers RD$30,001–RD$100,000; Development tier covers RD$100,001–RD$250,000.
• Préstamos Agropecuarios Agricultural and livestock financing loans for short-cycle products and animal fattening, with terms adapted to product type and beneficiary zone, including debtor life insurance and last expenses coverage.
• Préstamos para Mejora de Vivienda Housing repair and expansion loans up to RD$80,000 with maximum 36-month term, including life insurance, technical assistance, and training.
• Préstamos Educativo Educational loans developed in partnership with OPPORTUNITY EduFinance and FONDOMICRO, providing financing for educational institutions, teachers, parents, and the broader educational ecosystem including tuition, uniforms, books, and school infrastructure.
• Programa de Desarrollo Social Socioeducational program for vulnerable populations with emphasis on women and families, offering support through actions for poverty reduction, access to services, and equitable distribution of well-being.
• Subprograma de Organización Rural Promotes social participation for community development through organized groups including women's associations, health committees, neighborhood boards, and sports clubs.
• Subprograma de Educación y Capacitación Education and training program promoting individual and collective transformation toward gender equality and equity through knowledge construction and empowerment skills development.
• Subprograma de Salud Integral Health program focused on prevention, promotion, and education regarding health with emphasis on vulnerable populations, covering sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, and violence prevention.
• Subprograma de Infraestructura y Saneamiento Infrastructure program promoting health improvement through safe water consumption, hygiene, and sanitation for rural communities, especially children under 5.
• Subprograma de Ecología y Medio Ambiente Environmental protection program contributing to care, defense, and protection of the environment through training, capacity building, and reforestation initiatives.
• Subprograma de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional Food security program improving nutritional security of vulnerable communities through strengthening productive, social, cultural, and organizational capacities.
• Subprograma de Derechos Humanos Human rights promotion and education program strengthening civil society organizations to ensure respect for human rights of vulnerable populations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ women directly benefited from programs
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Save The Children República DominicanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance partner in the 'Nuevas narrativas para la prevención de la violencia basada en género' project and the 'Eso es violencia' campaign, jointly working on gender-based violence prevention.
• Instituto Sindical de Cooperación al Desarrollo (ISCOD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade union development organization partner in gender-based violence prevention project with EU funding.
• Alianza ONGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican NGO alliance network partner in joint gender-based violence prevention initiatives.
• Fundación NTDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in the 'Fortaleciendo Comunidades' project focused on elderly women's health, education, and economic development in vulnerable communities. Formalized through inter-institutional agreement signed February 2024.
• Ron BarcelócoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate alliance for women's economic empowerment through the 'Latas Coleccionables' promotional campaign. The partnership impacted 55 women in San Pedro de Macorís with business training, leadership development, and tool donations. Barceló donated a percentage of 'Latas BGA' profits to fund the project.
• Aldeas Infantiles SOS (AISOS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInter-institutional collaboration agreement signed August 6, 2024, establishing a framework for joint actions in favor of children, adolescents, youth, families, and communities where both organizations have presence.
• Reformismo 21coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish foundation leading the 'Gobernanza local' project consortium for the right to a life free of gender-based violence. Project funded by AECID for 2 years covering 9 municipalities in Dajabón, Santiago Rodríguez, and Monte Cristi provinces.
• Humanismo y Democracia RD (H+D)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican foundation partner in the local governance project for violence prevention, working with municipal governments and civil society organizations.
• MOSCTHAminorStrategic or Co-development Partnersociocultural movement for humanitarian and environmental workers, part of the governance project consortium for gender violence prevention.
• Federación Dominicana de Municipios (FEDOMU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican federation of municipalities collaborating on the local governance project, strengthening citizen participation in municipal management through participatory budgeting and development plans.
• Ministerio de la MujercoreOthersMinistry of Women partner for gender policy alignment, C-PREV program, and joint recognition initiatives. MUDE delivers campaigns aligned with the Ministry's gender-based violence strategy.
• OPPORTUNITY EduFinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnglish organization partnered with MUDE to develop educational finance tools and services, increasing supply and demand for education in low-cost schools.
• FONDOMICROminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican microfinance association partner in the educational finance project with OPPORTUNITY EduFinance.
• Ministerio de Trabajo RDminorOthersMinistry of Labor partnership for employment and workforce development programs.
• Ministerio de Salud Pública (MSP)coreOthersMinistry of Health partnership for health programs, disease prevention, and health worker training.
• Ministerio de Educación de la Republica Dominicana (MINERD)minorOthersMinistry of Education partnership for educational programs and school infrastructure.
• Ministerio de AgriculturaminorOthersMinistry of Agriculture partnership for agricultural credit programs.
• Ministerio de Economía, Planificación y Desarrollo (MEPyD)minorOthersMinistry of Economy partnership for planning and development programs.
• Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (MIMARENA)minorOthersMinistry of Environment partnership for ecological and environmental programs.
• Cruz Roja DominicanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDominican Red Cross partnership for humanitarian response and community health.
• Alianza ONGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of Dominican NGO alliance network.
• Girls Not BridesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of global partnership to end child marriage.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ProMujer: Latin American microfinance and women's empowerment organization providing microloans, business training, and health services to low-income women. Closely comparable to MUDE in target segment (vulnerable women), integrated social-plus-economic service model, and community-based delivery.
• FINCA International: Global microfinance network serving low-income women through village banking and small loans. Directly comparable to MUDE's microcredit program, women's-only client focus, and grassroots group-lending methodology.
• Women's World Banking: Global nonprofit network dedicated to women's financial inclusion through MFIs and partner institutions. Comparable to MUDE's mission and microcredit-plus-empowerment offering for low-income women in emerging markets.
• Banco ADOPEM: Dominican microfinance bank focused on low-income women and microentrepreneurs, with a similar loan product set and target segment to MUDE's microenterprise, agricultural and home improvement loans. Direct in-country competitor for MUDE's microcredit clients.

Regional players

• Banco Ademi: Dominican microfinance-oriented bank serving small entrepreneurs and low-income households. Comparable to MUDE's Dominican microcredit footprint and rural/semi-urban client base, operating as a regulated bank rather than an NGO.

Broad incumbents

• CARE International: Large international humanitarian and development organization with a global women's empowerment and economic development portfolio. Comparable in mission scope, donor base, and integrated social-plus-economic programs, though operating at much greater scale across many countries.
• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs, with a microfinance-plus-empowerment model targeting women and ultra-poor households. Comparable in integrated economic development, microcredit, and women's empowerment methodology to MUDE, though operating at vastly larger scale.
• Plan International: Global development and humanitarian organization focused on children's rights and gender equality, with significant women's economic empowerment programming. Comparable to MUDE in rights-based approach, gender-equity lens, and donor-funded community delivery model.
• Habitat for Humanity: Global nonprofit addressing inadequate housing through community-based construction and housing finance. Comparable to MUDE's home improvement loan product and its infrastructure/sanitation subprogram, especially for vulnerable families in rural areas.

Emerging players

• Heifer International: International nonprofit working on rural economic empowerment through livestock, agricultural value chains, and smallholder (often women-led) enterprises. Comparable to MUDE's agricultural loan product and rural women's economic empowerment focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mujeres-en-desarrollo-dominicana-mude
• Facebookfacebook.com/mudedom
• Instagraminstagram.com/mude_dom
• Xx.com/mude_rd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mujeres en Desarrollo Dominicana