The traditional clothing of the Maya in Guatemala is proudly worn in many parts of the country and greatly admired by textile fans throughout the world.
Forty-three year old Pascuala, a mother of two grown children who are twenty and twenty-three years old, started her business buying and selling these highly-prized garments eight years ago. She sells both colorful blouses/”huipiles” and wrap-around skirts/”cortes”.
She also weaves and to earn extra income, sells delicious cooked chicken with potatoes in her own locale. Pascuala shares that she is grateful to count on her children and a sister-in-law to help her with the businesses.
Her husband is a security guard for a business in the state of Solola where they live. She wants to expand her inventory of textiles in time for the September national annual festivals and requests her third Kiva loan to buy more complete traditional outfits representing the different regions of Guatemala.
Pascuala joined six other Maya K’iche women and formed the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Rosas de Guadalupe". All of the women have the same businesses as Pascuala. They gratefully participate in the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (health, family, women, business) and bi-monthly health care services (medical exams, appointments and family planning).
Thank you, Kiva lenders, for your kindness in funding these much appreciated loans!
In this group: Pascuala , Maria , Manuela , Micaela , Maricela , Cristina Manuela Pascuala , Manuela
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer Caroline Z. View original language description.