After my experience in Guatemala I began working in HSBC with my mentor, María Eugenia de Avila, who is currently Group Corporate Sustainability Head for Latin America. Learning about the bank’s brand of being the “world’s local bank” I have discovered the ample possibilities that a highly recognized bank has in a developing country like El Salvador. I have been working closely with the Corporate Sustainability head for El Salvador, Valeria Rosales, who has taught me about HSBC’s global policies concerning the advancement of educational opportunities and the preservation of the environment, two vital pillars for the sustainable development of any region. HSBC’s education program, Future First’s main goal is to financially support destitute children who are often orphaned or live on the streets and who never have a chance to obtain an education. HSBC’s Climate Partnership’s main goal is to raise awareness and concern about the detrimental effects of global warming in order to motivate the bank’s employees and clients to make an effort to reduce their negative environmental impacts.

As a continuation to my participation in Vital Voices, I have been working in the development of a line of micro-credits for small women entrepreneurs, a program denominated “Stimulus Woman” which is expected to be part of the driving force for women to launch their small enterprises. This program, like Vital Voices, is meant to empower emerging women leaders and entrepreneurs who have a fervent desire to advance economically using their own skills, but who are unable to due to financial constraints.

Besides this, I have also been involved in the logistical planning of a project called “HSBC in Your Community,” a program for those employees within the bank who work with some non-lucrative organization or charity in their community and who would like to support a project sponsored by this organization. After an application process and if their projects are approved, the employees will receive a cash or supply donation from the bank for their communities. Shortly, I will also be participating in a reforestation campaign around a lake near San Salvador called Ilopango. The trees planted will prevent erosion, but will also provide an economic benefit for inhabitants of the area, since their fruit will be commercialized.

I am halfway through my internship at HSBC and I am truly enjoying my experience. Working with María Eugenia de Avila has taught me that women in my society have the capacity to balance their capacity to excel in the domestic, professional, social and political spheres. As an economics major, I have learned about the imperative need of the sustainable growth and development of economies, however, this need was always abstract, a thing that had to be done, and something which I could never make tangible. Working with HSBC’s Corporate Sustainability department I have experienced how a successful private enterprise has interpreted this need and how it has implemented it in its day to day policies. Efforts range from offering school scholarships to providing every employee with a plastic water bottle in order to reduce the use of plastic water cups. I am really looking forward of learning more about HSBC, my mentor and the endless possibilities that can be done to help Salvadoran women and women of the region. I am thrilled of having the opportunity of making a small contribution, and I will try to make the best of it.