Luz De San Antonio Group

Nicolaza Margarita Matos Evangelista

My family and I had to leave the town where we lived, San Samián – Huarochirí. We had to go to Lima due to a work proposal my husband received. Unfortunately, he suffered an accident in transit. He could not keep working as a bricklayer for one year.

At the root of this situation, I see myself in the necessity of working for my family. I had to go up and down the streets with my two small children knocking door to door selling food and fruit. I also washed clothes and helped cook in popular dining rooms to survive and not leave my family abandoned. Even so, these earnings did not cover the expenses that we had.

I soon came to learn from a nephew who participates in EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD about the loans they give to people like me, entrepreneurs. I realized that this was the opportunity that I was looking for to progress economically. That is how I became part of the Luz de San Antonio Community Bank. I am currently the president. Thirteen people participate. We work in businesses.

With my first loan that I got from EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD, I could buy merchandise like flowers, medicinal plants, and natural medicines. They generated earnings that helped with my family’s expenses. Now, at 41 years of age, I have made my business grow. I no longer sell my products door to door, but I have a space that I was able to rent with the loans that I received.

For me, EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD was the help I needed to progress. I am sure that with the loans that follow my business will grow even more.

Translated from Spanish by Ginny Kalish, Kiva Volunteer

Nicolaza Margarita Matos Evangelista.
Mi familia y yo tuvimos que dejar el pueblo donde vivíamos San Damián - Huarochirí a Lima, debido a la propuesta laboral que le hacen a mi esposo. Lamentablemente sufrió un accidente de tránsito que le impidió seguir laborando de albañil por un año. A raíz de esta situación me veo en la necesidad de trabajar por mi familia, lo cual tuve que recorrer las calles con mis dos pequeños hijos, tocando de puerta en puerta ofreciendo comida y fruta; además lavaba ropa y ayudaba a cocinar en los comedores populares a fin de subsistir y no dejar en el abandono a mi familia, aún así estos ingresos no cubría los gastos que teníamos. Pronto llego a enterarme por una sobrina que participa en EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD los créditos que daban a personas como yo, microempresaria. Me di cuenta que era la oportunidad que buscaba para progresar económicamente, es así que logro formar parte de la Alcancía Comunal “Luz de San Antonio”, actualmente ocupo el cargo de presidenta y somos trece personas que participamos, los cuales nos dedicamos al comercio. Con mi primer crédito que obtuve de EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD pude comprar mercadería de flores, plantas medicinales y medicamentos naturales, lo que generó ganancias que ayudaron en los gastos de mi familia. Hoy a mis 41 años he logrado hacer crecer más mi negocio, ya no vendo mis productos en forma ambulatoria, sino en un puesto que pude alquilar con los recréditos que recibí. Para mí EDAPROSPO-PROSPERIDAD fue la ayuda que necesitaba para progresar y estoy segura que con los siguientes préstamos que obtenga mi negocio crecerá aun más.


About Group Loans
In a group loan, each member of the group receives an individual loan but is part of a group of individuals bound by a group guarantee. Under this arrangement, each member of the group supports one another and is responsible for paying back the loans of their fellow group members if someone is delinquent or defaults. Learn more

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