Ma. Teresa Tinawin

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Ma. Teresa Tinawin by Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI) in Philippines. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the 11 months of this loan, Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI) will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

In September 23, 2009 Ma. Teresa Tinawin received her loan through Kiva field partner Ahon sa Hirap Inc. (ASHI) amounting Php 45,000 less the 5% Salamat (means Thank You) Fund. This fund will become group fund that the owner is the members of the group that in case they need it they can use it.

At the time of visit in the place of Ma. Teresa for loan utilization check, the staff found out that she is one of the family that suffer in the previous typhoon that encountered by most places in the Philippines the typhoon name “Ondoy”. Their family is one of the thousands families who flooded their houses, lost most of the appliances that they’ll invest for a long time, and most of all lost their means of living. The hard part for Ma. Teresa is they’ve lost also her fish cage business. This is where she spent the entire amount that she received as her loan. Before the typhoon “Ondoy”, they already build up their fish cage and they already buy the things that are needed in her business. That is the thing that she was cry for. Ma. Teresa at the time of visit was really emotional she shared that until now she remembered the fear that she was feeling the time of typhoon visiting the area of Philippines especially their place in Morong Rizal.

But the thing she was thankful is that even if that happen to them no one died in their family, not in the situation of having illness and they have left some business for their everyday living. Their tricycle and their variety store, she will start again with it. And she assures ASHI and of course herself that what happen to them will never become the hindrance in fulfilling their dreams to rise above all forms of poverty.