Adding to basket
Magdalena is 57 years old and has 8 children. Her parents were poor, so she was unable to study. She is illiterate. She started selling at the market in her area at the age of 7 and earned her own money. She got married at 18 and opened a store selling traditional clothing with the support of her husband.
She learned about the loans offered to women by the Chajulense Association of Women United for Life through a relative of her husband.
This year, she will receive her fourth loan. She used the first to expand her store by buying and selling traditional cuttings and sashes. The second loan allowed her to buy a sewing machine to make blouses with traditional collars. With her third loan, she bought traditional fabrics to make traditional blouses. With her fourth loan she will expand her business buying huipiles and cuttings, and making traditional blouses.
Magdalena is the leader of the Sandía 2 group. The group is made up of 5 women, all of the Maya Ixil ethnic group. The group will invest 100% in textiles. On average, each member of the group has three children, and the average age of the group members is 35 years old. 60% are illiterate and 40% did not complete primary education.
In this group: Juana, Lucía, Magdalena, Magdalena, Margarita
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer E. Power. View original language description.
