52-year-old Amparo is a mother of eight children who range in age from 12 to 34. Seven have high school educations, four are married, and one died in an accident. There are six grandchildren in the family.

Amparo attended school for six years because her family had limited resources. When she was a child, she began doing housework in neighbors’ homes, as well as helping her parents do farmwork. She married a bricklayer.

For the past 25 years, Amparo has sold firewood from her home to use for cooking and heating. Three of her children help her. She also raises chickens.

Nine years ago, she opened a lunch business. Amparo requests her first Kiva loan to buy firewood, ingredients for her recipes and a much-needed stove. Her goal is to expand the businesses and open her own small restaurant.

Amparo is president of the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Alejandrinas.” There are six women in the group who live in the department/state of Sacatepequez. They have various businesses like tortilla shops, variety/gift stores, sales of avocados, prepared foods, and personal care products. Others have the same businesses as Amparo.

They participate in the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (business, health, family, women) and bi-monthly healthcare services (exam, consults, family planning). Recent topics for the training have centered around the importance of savings, business administration and women’s good health care.

Thank you, Kiva lenders!