Juana Leticia

Fifty-five-year-old Juana was a primary school teacher, and then ten years ago, she began teaching adult school every afternoon. Her husband is a farmer and carpenter. The couple shares their home with their 23-year-old daughter who is in her third year of studying forestry at the university level. The family lives in the department/state of Solola.

Thirty-two years ago, Juana began raising chickens that she sells from her home and in the local market. Ten years ago, she started a business weaving and embroidering beautiful traditional blouses / ”huipiles”. She employs four women who help her deliver four “huipiles” each month. Three years ago, she began selling plates and pots in the local market on Mondays and Fridays.

Juana requests her first Kiva loan to buy traditional skirts / ”cortes”, pots, pans, rice cookers and plates.

Her goal is to buy a car!

Juana is setting a wonderful example of what it means to be a successful entrepreneur. She has enrolled in the Friendship Bridge program "Bridge to Success” after being a member of a Trust Bank for a number of years. She has learned about savings, the use of social media and healthy habits. The program gives her access to bi-monthly visits with a facilitator who helps her set goals and create a business plan that she will hope to achieve at the end of her loan cycle.

Thank you, Kiva lenders, for your generosity and your kindness!