José lives with his wife, daughter and mother-in-law. His mother-in-law helps with household expenses and he has relatives working abroad who can send money to him now and then.
José has operated a weaving business, making hammocks mostly, from agave. He works when he can after odd-jobs as a farm laborer or at construction. His wife helps with the business and he also employs neighbors to help when he needs to. He is applying for a loan that he will use to pay for the labor and supplies he needs to make hammocks. The investment will allow him to stock the supplies he needs to maintain and grow the business and, in turn, provide a better quality of life for his family.
When we asked José about his plans for the future, he told us that he wants to continue working and to use the loans he receives to grow it and better provide for his family.
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer Jere Wiseman. View original language description.