The colorful traditional blouses or “huipiles” that are woven and embroidered by Maya women in Guatemala are among the most beautiful in the world!

Irma, a 28-year-old mother of two children (5 and 11), with a 6th grade education, embroiders these treasured textiles with all kinds of detailed stitches. She is able to deliver one each month because it is time consuming to embroider them with intricate designs. Irma is married to a bricklayer.

Her goal is to enlarge the business and be able to employ other women to increase both production and sales. Irma is requesting her first Kiva loan to buy fabric and thread.

Irma is one of seven Maya Chalchiteko women who live in a rural area in the department/state of Huehuetenango. They have formed the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Margaritas”. All of them have traditional textile businesses. Their monthly educational training, part of the “Microcredit Plus” program, is vital to their success. A Facilitator, using pictures, diagrams, role playing and games, shares useful information with them drawn from four areas: business, health, family, women. The ladies are anxious to learn and empower themselves. They often share what they learn with family members and friends who often have little or no formal education, like Irma.

Thank you, KIVA investors, for the vital role that you play in the lives of Irma and her friends. Little by little, they are moving ahead, educating their children and empowering themselves!