Josefina is a hardworking woman who is always looking for ways to improve her and her family’s quality of life. Josefina is 38 years old and has been married for 22 years. She has eight children (six girls and two boys), four of whom are currently in school.

With only two years of formal education, Josefina created a textile business that produces typical skirts made with a foot loom. The business has been around for nearly a decade. She and her family spend at least six days a week working to complete their orders, and Josefina travels one and a half hours via bus once a week to deliver the orders to clients.

Josefina is starting her third loan cycle with Friendship Bridge. Her daughter, Maria, has also joined Josefina’s Trust Bank for her first loan cycle. Maria is completing her teaching degree while building up her small business.

Josefina is very excited about her new loan with Friendship Bridge because she will be able to purchase a variety of yarn and thread for her textile business. Josefina's vision is to grow her business enough so that she does not need to take out loans in the future. Josefina also wants her children to stay in school and continue their studies in college. She was not able to continue with her schooling because her family needed her to work. “Before I joined Friendship Bridge, I did think that my girls' education was important, but now I know that they need to stay in school,” she says. “By staying in school, they will be able to increase their knowledge and be more successful.”

Josefina, Maria and 12 other women are part of the Choqui Trust Bank. The Trust Bank members are all from the village of Chipuac, a fairly rural area outside of Totonicapán, Guatemala. Many of the women in the Choqui Trust Bank have animal husbandry businesses, such as raising chickens, while several other members are involved in the textile industry. Each member of the Trust Bank has a different story but they all share a common vision: to be successful and to improve their lives and the lives of their families and community members. The 14 women appreciate the moral and financial support KIVA lenders provide, and they are impressed that technology can unite people from around the world with Totonicapán’s communities.