Adding to basket
San Francisco El Alto is a busy, rural town in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. The economy is based on commercial textile production. Many create traditional textiles including blouses called “blusas” or “huipiles”, skirts called “cortes” and ornate belts called “fajas”. Other textiles are sewn including sheets, pillow cases, pants and undershirts. Capital is needed to purchase supplies for the businesses and competition is fierce. Thirteen women banded together to form the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Maya Kiché”. Their goal is to increase sales, generate increased revenue, empower themselves and eliminate poverty for themselves and their families.
Catarina, a single woman who is 30 years old, works in textile production and fabricates pants and shorts with three of her younger siblings. She sells the pieces of clothing by the dozen in border areas where demand is high. Catarina is requesting a loan that she will use to purchase more thread, buttons, fabrics and tags. The revenue that she and her siblings make will help support the family.
The women are very aware of the value of education, both for themselves and their children. They want their children to be able to attend school and work hard so that uniforms, books and other school supplies can be purchased. They also realize that to run their households and businesses most efficiently, they need to be informed and empowered. At the monthly meetings of the Trust Bank, a Friendship Bridge Loan Officer spends part of the meeting sharing timely information about a wide variety of subjects such as indebtedness, effective business practices, health, women’s rights, hygiene and nutrition. Friendship Bridge calls the combination of the small loans and education “Microcredit Plus”. It works!
The ladies of the “Maya Kiche” Trust Bank are most grateful for the opportunity to access credit and education. Kiva investors are wonderful partners in this effort! Thank you, Kiva investors!
In this group: Catarina Felisa, Juana, Antonia, Jesus, Catarina Mayra, Maria Viviana, Juana Isabel, Catarina, Isabel, Rosa Maria, Cristina Angela, Rosa Isabel, Pascuala
