Helena is 42 years old and originally from the capital city Maputo. Helena has five children, of which three are studying. Helena’s older daughter is at home and one of her sons lost his place at school, so will have to wait until next year.

Helena was raised by her mother who worked as a house maid. She studied until 2nd grade and stopped due to her mother’s difficult financial situation. Once her father abandoned her mother, Helena was taken to live with her grandmother and then with an aunt who was also a house maid.

Helena started to sell basic needs products for her aunt when she was a child. In 1981 she started to sell products at her own stand. Today Helena’s most profitable products are peanuts, beans and cereals. Helena works all day long, as the stand is located in front of her house. She is currently negotiating a stand at the Benfica market where she will have more customers and increase her daily income. Today Helena has a daily profit of MTn 75 (around US$3.00) and also has an income coming from three rooms she rents at a house she built next to her own.

Through a neighbor Helena heard about Hluvuku and decided to ask for her first loan of MTn 10,000 in order to strengthen her business. Helena will buy merchandise in bulk, reducing the price of acquisition and consequently increasing her profit.

In the future Helena would like to open her own general store, with legal license to operate and with many customers, so she can increase her income.