This is a loan book -- for RD$5,000 or US$135. When the first loan is paid back they can apply for larger ones, the biggest I saw was RD$25,000 (US$676).
This is what the loans enable -- this mother has 2 daugthers she supports by selling clothes out of the suitcase. She was very proud of her "portable" business.
This woman has had a microfinanced business for 3 months. Her dream is to get RD$100,000 (US$3,000) to expand her home based store in this space in front of her house.