Nayibe T. C. experiences immense satisfaction when she says that her business has made it possible for her family to support her daughters’ education so that they can become professionals. She learned her trade from her husband, who has a family tradition of preparing delicious empanadas, caribañolas (dumplings made of cassava and potato dough, stuffed with meat and vegetables), and finger foods. Her family also sells meats, fish entrails, chicken, as well as harvested fruits. She now hopes to buy an electric mill and plastic containers for grinding corn. The task of milling and grinding is the chance to start another micro-enterprise since people are willing to pay for this service. Therefore, she wants to buy all the primary materials to get started. Nayibe also plans to buy cassava in bulk to grind into flour to fulfill orders. For this reason, she is requesting her second loan in the amount 1,100,000 COP. She says that after receiving her first loan, she was able to complete her customers’ orders more easily because she didn’t have to buy supplies every day and always had enough to address emergency situations.

Nayibe lives in the Loma Fresca neighborhood in southwestern Barranquilla with her husband and two children. Her oldest daughter is finishing her college degree and the younger one is studying for a technical degree. She now dreams that her children will successfully finish their studies, so that she and her husband can see the fruits of their hard work. Her greatest challenge is working in a small space from which to develop her business.