Adding to basket
A Group of enterprizing women determined to give the best to their familias formed the “Gualaceñitas” communal bank, located in Gualaceo, a beautiful western countryside in the Azuay province in the center of Ecuador. It is bathed by the Santa Bárbara and San Francisco rivers and its location and land’s beauty makes it known as “Jardín Azuayo.” The people here make shoes and other leather goods, towels and other crafts typical of the region.
Celia lives in this lovely countryside and has been active with the foundation for two cycles. She is 35 years old, single and lives in her sister’s home, where she has had a small food store for the past 18 years. She works from 6:30am to 9:00pm every day without rest.
She will use the money from this loan, though FUNDACIÓN ESPOIR, to buy sugar, cooking oil, soap, and other personal and household products. She wants to finish the beauty course she has been taking and open her own beauty salon.
Natali is happy and good friends with all the members of the communal bank. She is 24 years old, married six months into her pregnancy. She and her husband are awaiting with anticipation. Her husband sells basic need items to grocery stores in the area, while she tends her own grocery store, which she has had for three years. Her business location is rented and she and her brother each pay half. It’s located next to a small school and she works from 6:30 am to 2:00 pm. They don’t have their own home yet, but they live with her sister-in-law.
She will use the money from this loan to buy a showcase and cookies, caramels, gelatin treats, and other treats and snacks, also rice, sugar, salt, etc. to supply her store.
She hopes to be able to start her accounting career.
In this group: Martha Alexandra, Natali Marisol, Celia Mariana, Diana Beatriz, Maria Carmen, Gloria Esperanza, Florinda, Joana Alexandra, Blanca Liduvina, Maria Elizabeth, Rosa Teresa
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer anonymized. View original language description.
