Adding to basket
Women entrepreneurs are characterized by an active spirit that leads them to seek strategies to overcome poverty. This is very true of María, age 33, who lives in a rural area in the department (state) of Chimaltenango. She is married and has four children, ages 8 to 16 years, who attend school. María went to school for three years; she can read and write with difficulty. She feels supported because her husband and children help her to keep good control of her business.
Despite challenges, she took the initiative to begin her own business 14 years ago. She weaves “huipiles” which are typical blouses. Because the “hupiles” are detailed with designs of birds and flowers, María can finish an average of two garments per month. She has several orders, and needs to increase her inventory of thread. She requests her first Kiva loan to buy boxes of varieties of thread.
The eight women in the Puente de Amistad [Friendship Bridge] communal bank “Semillas de Esperanza” [Seeds of Hope] speak the Kaqchikel idiom, and Spanish with difficulty. These women benefit from monthly educational training as part of the "Microcrédito Plus" program (loans, education, medical attention) of Puente de Amistad. Information on budgets, investment, and savings helps the women to have better strategies for managing their textile, tortilla shop, and livestock businesses. They sell their products from their homes and as street vendors.
Thank you to the Kiva lenders for financing this loan.
In this group: Sulmi Amarilis , Belsi Yessenia , Rosa Maria , Maria Carmela , Leydi Roxana , Maria Alejandra , Claudia Azucena , Mildred Azucena
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer Joann S. View original language description.
