Luis is one of the members of the group Hacia adelante 4 & 5 (Going Forward). He makes his home in a simple structure with his son and some other family members. Luis operates a 'colmado,' a store where customers can find all the ingredients to make their daily food; normally, there are colmados within a short walking distance from any home in every neighborhood.

Luis is excited to be taking his fifth loan with Esperanza after having successfully repaid his previous loan and grown his business. He has had his colmado for nine years, which he started with some savings. He is planning to use this loan to invest in his business by purchasing rice, beans, canned food, sugar and flour. He will use the profits to invest his business and improve it. He says that his most difficult challenge was working hard after he had an accident and broke a leg. He plans to continue playing dominoes in his free time.

This Esperanza associate began with us because he needed capital for his business and some neighbors invited him to join the group. His story is generally representative of his group and of Esperanza's Haitian clients and Dominican clients (many of whom recently emigrated to the DR from Haiti). The group is located in San Pedro D. Macoris, a city famous for baseball players and its sugar cane industry. The main economic activity is a free traD. zone and a cement factory. This area, like nearly all impoverished areas of the Dominican Republic, suffers from unreliable running water (none of which is potable) and electricity.

The man standing with the blue shirt is representing his wife, Miguelina, a member of the group who could not attend the meeting.