Claveles Santa Rita Group

Traditional Guatemalan outfits or “traje” are highly prized and proudly worn by Maya women throughout the country. The outfit consists of a blouse/“huipil”, skirt/”corte”, and belt/”faja”. Often, the pieces of the outfit are hand-embroidered with unique and intricate designs. This is the skill that 26-year-old Malanny has perfected. She has been doing this for six years and also raises chickens.

She sells by custom order from her home and is able to complete four outfits monthly. She shares that she is happy because her many customers admire and purchase her textiles due to the high quality of her work. Her goal is to increase production and enlarge the business. She requests her sixth Kiva loan to buy a large quantity of thread at the wholesale level, more chickens, and chicken feed.

Malanny is married to a physical education teacher and they have three children who range in age from five to nine. The family lives in the department/state of Solola. When Malanny isn’t working or taking care of her home/family, she attends to her duties as President of the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Claveles Santa Rita”. (“claveles” are carnations). There are six other Maya K’iche women in the group who participate in the Friendship Bridge “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (health, business, women’s issues, family matters) and bi-monthly health care services (consults, exams, family planning).

Thank you, Kiva lenders!

In this group: Manuela Rosa, Magdalena, Catarina, Irma Violeta, Malanny Nohelia , Francisca , Manuela Marina