This is 37-year-old Sunita M.. She is married and has one child, aged 5. In 2005, she established her grocery store business. Working 7 days a week and 7 hours a day, she supports her family. She has already received and successfully repaid four loans from Patan BPW and used her most recent to increase her store inventory. In the future, Sunita plans to expand the business. She thanks you for your support.

In the Kathmandu Valley, the small grocery store, called a pasal, is an important part of the local economy. Fresh produce, milk, and staples such as rice, lentils, and flour are purchased daily for cooking in the home. Owners of small grocery stores use Kiva loans to increase their purchasing power and profit margins. By keeping inventory strong and purchasing in larger amounts, owners of these small stores are able to increase profitability. While a typical pasal might be no more than 100 sq. feet, they are always full of bargaining customers, incoming produce, and shrewd businesswomen.

This loan was administered by Kiva's local partner MFI, Patan Business and Professional Women. Patan BPW became Kiva's first field partner in Nepal in 2007. Patan BPW operates throughout the Kathmandu Valley, offering microcredit and business training programs to low-income women. In addition to providing economic opportunity to their clients, Patan BPW seeks to empower Nepali women within the home and community. For more information about Patan BPW, visit our partner page and keep an eye out for new loans and borrower updates.