Adding to basket
Forty-five-year-old Maria is married to a farmer who grows maize. They have six children who range in age from ten to 28 years. The youngest son is in the second grade while the older, grown children have an average of four years of education.
In Guatemala, Maya women have woven and embroidered their own colorful textiles for thousands of years. They are proud to wear a traditional huipil (blouse), corte (skirt) and faja (belt). Two years ago Maria opened her business buying and selling complete sets of these traditional outfits. She works from a room in her home in the department/state of Quiché.
Recently, Maria moved to a new house, and she is considering formalizing a space to showcase these textiles. She is requesting her first Kiva loan to buy more traditional outfits at the wholesale level. Her goals are to enlarge the business, attract more customers and increase her income.
Maria joined six other Maya K’iche women and formed the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Flores De Los Llanos," or “Flowers Of The Plain.” They each have their own business, such as selling chicken by the pound, managing a convenience store, and running a traditional textile shop.
Since these women are like Maria with little or no formal education, they benefit greatly from Friendship Bridges' monthly educational training in such subjects as business, health, women and family, part of the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, education, and healthcare. A nurse visits their community bimonthly and offers all kinds of exams, consults and family planning.
Thanks to Kiva lenders for their kindness in funding these much-needed loans!
In this group: Maria , Manuela , Maria , Petrona , Candelaria , Maria , Isabel
