Adding to basket
Often, young Maya girls have little or no formal education. Instead, they help their parents support the household. Forty-six year old Petrona had a sixth grade education and then worked as a domestic employee for six years. She married a man who works as a barber. The couple are the parents of five children. The youngest child, who is eleven, lives at home along with another sibling. Petrona is a grandmother of four!
For four years, from Monday through Saturday, Petrona has sold vitamins, as well as bread and pies. She is requesting her second Kiva loan to buy more of all three. Her goal is to expand the business and create more income (household and educational expenses). She understands the value of education and is proud that her four oldest children finished the ninth grade and the youngest is in the fifth grade.
Seven women elected Petrona to be the president of their Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Mujeres de Mezon”. A few have the same businesses as Petrona, while others sell new clothing, shoes, American products, prepared meals, and regional snack foods. They live in the department/state of Suchitepequez.
By participating in the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training and bi-monthly health care services, they empower themselves and bolster their businesses. Recent topics for the training have been about the dangers of over-indebtedness, wise investing practices, and the dangers of loaning one’s name to another’s business.
Thank you Kiva lenders!
In this group: Juana Julia , Herminia , Marta Cristina, Petrona, Evelyn Johana , Micaela , Dolores Esquina, Ofelia
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer Ellen Donohue. View original language description.
