Evenecer En Cristo Group

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to the Evenecer en Cristo group, consisting of Dilia Joseph, Nelsi Casses, Magdalena Luois, Ramona Felix, Sintilla Eotimon, Maria Polanco, Teresa Toussaint by Esperanza International in Dominican Republic. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 6 months, Esperanza International will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Dilia Joseph has come a long way since borrowing from Esperanza. She has taken three loans to expand her business. These loans have enabled her to purchase clothes in bulk, which simultaneously increases her inventory and decreases her cost per item. She tells us that although business is good, it is difficult during the summer. Mrs. Joseph sells the most during the harvest season in the fall.

Despite the seasonal variability of her sales, Mrs. Joseph estimates that her income has increased from 1,000 DRP per month (about $28 USD) to 4,000 DRP per month (about $112 USD). She still sells clothes along her street, using a basket she carries on her head and a bag she slings over her shoulder to carry her additional inventory. Mrs. Joseph tells us that she works very hard selling clothes from 8 am until 4 pm every day.

Life is still tough, but Mrs. Joseph has experienced significant improvements since joining Esperanza. Her advancement can be seen both in her demeanor and in the quality of her home, where we held the interview. The concrete floor and solid tin roof reveal some of the fruits her hard work. Mrs. Joseph plans to continue borrowing from Esperanza to expand her business hopefully continue improving her life.