This Colombian refugee and her husband once ran a thriving bakery in Bogotá. Their success attracted the attention of Colombia's rebel FARC militia, which demanded protection money. "We didn't have enough to pay what they wanted," recalls Nieto, 38. "They said they would kidnap and kill us." So Nieto and her family fled to the U.S.

In January 2006 the IRC arranged $1,150 in microloans to help Nieto launch a jewelry business called Hands of the Andes (handsoftheandes.net).
--Eilene Zimmerman