After working for years as a nanny, Guadalupe finally felt ready to go into business for herself when she discovered a program that helps to train and certify would-be daycare owners. In this comprehensive program, Guadalupe learned how to set up her business and manage its costs, and took classes about child development to prepare herself for the wide variety of children that she would care for. Upon graduation, Guadalupe transformed her home into 'My Little World Childcare'.

Guadalupe’s daycare center is a ‘home away from home’ for the children, and she has tight bonds with the children she cares for. “I love celebrating their birthdays,” she says. “It’s beautiful to watch them grow up. I get to see them get their first tooth and learn how to walk.” Each day she tracks their eating habits, how they slept, and any unusual behavior, and makes reports to their parents.

Guadalupe received a microloan from Opportunity Fund in 2007 to renovate her backyard and turn it into a better, safer play space for the children. She now has swing sets, a playhouse, and other toys, and the children spend time outside whenever possible. “If I had not received a loan from Opportunity Fund I still would have tried to make the safety improvements to my center, but they might not have been enough. I am afraid it could have been dangerous.”

With a second loan through Opportunity Fund, this one for $8,000, Guadalupe will be able to purchase a computer to track her business expenses and a van to take the children on field trips to the nearby park and museums. She will also install a fence to separate her front yard from the street.