Marìa Marta Boch Xocoxic

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Marìa Marta Boch Xocoxic by FAPE in Guatemala. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 12 months, FAPE will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Maria reports that her business is doing well and sales have been high. She used her loan to purchase clay to make comales (clay dishes for making tortillas) and also to buy comales and pottery from others. She sells these products to stores in various cities in the coast of Guatemala. She says that she has had some recent successes with her business. She has gotten to know many of her clients and has formed relationships with them and they now call her to place orders with her. Another important success is that she has just finished paying off her land.

There is a lot of competition in this part of Guatemala in comal and pottery sales. However, Maria says that she has been able to find more clients because she sells her comales and pottery for a little less than the competition. Additionally, she and her husband travel a lot to find new clients.

Maria says that her loan has helped her a lot because it has made it easier to increase her business. She also reports that this loan from Kiva has helped her more than any before because it is a larger amount so she could buy more than ever before. Before partnering with Kiva, FAPE only offered loans for groups and in smaller amounts. Now, with the partnership with Kiva, FAPE has started to offer individual loans to people looking for more credit. Maria says that, with the help of this larger loan, she can already see a difference in her earnings. She is using her new income to buy better food and to pay for her children’s school costs. Furthermore, Maria says that she likes to work with FAPE because it is more lively and laid-back, has fewer difficult requirements, and has more confidence in its clients than other organizations.

The only complaint Maria has right now is that, during the rainy season, it is difficult to find enough comales to meet the demand. When it rains so much, like now, the comales can’t dry in the sun like they need to. However, this is part of the nature of the work, and Maria says they will get by fine. She would really like to buy a larger car because right now she only has a small pickup. With a larger vehicle, she would be able to transport more at the same time. Additionally, she would be able to haul larger comales, with which she could earn a lot more money because there is always more demand for large comales than the supply. Overall, Maria appreciates her Kiva loan and is happy to have the opportunity to grow her business.

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Maria dice que le va bien en su negocio y ha tenido muchas ventas. Usó su crédito para comprar barro para hacer comales y también para comprar comales y alfareros de otros. Ella vende estos productos a tiendas en varias ciudades en la costa de Guatemala. Dice que ha tenido algunos éxitos recientes con el aumento de su negocio. Ha conocido a sus clientes y formado asociaciones con ellos y ahora le llaman cuando quieren pedir ordenes de ella. Otro éxito importante es que ella acaba de cancelar la deuda por su terreno.

En la venta de comales y alfareros en esta área de Guatemala, hay mucha competencia. Pero Maria dice que ha podido lograr más clientes porque vende sus comales y alfareros por un poco menos que la competencia. También ella y su esposo viajan con frecuencia para buscar clientes nuevos.

Maria dice que su préstamo la ha ayudado bastante porque la facilita más en subir su negocio. También dice que este préstamo de Kiva la ha ayudado más que ninguno antes, porque, con el monto más grande, pudo comprar mucho más que nunca. Antes que trabajó con Kiva, FAPE solamente ofreció préstamos para grupos y en montos más pequeños. Ahora, con la asociación con Kiva, FAPE ha empezado a ofrecer préstamos individuales a personas que están pidiendo más crédito. Maria dice que, con la ayuda de este préstamo más grande, ya puede ver una diferencia en sus ganancias. Ella está usando sus ingresos nuevos para comprar alimentos mejores y para cubrir los costos de los estudios de sus hijos. Además, Maria dice que le gusta trabajar con FAPE porque es una organización más animada y tranquila, con menos requisitos difíciles y que le da más confianza en sus clientes que otras organizaciones.

La única queja que tiene ahora es que, durante la época de lluvia, es difícil encontrar suficientes comales para satisfacer la demanda. Cuando llueve tanto, como ahora, los comales no pueden secar en el sol como necesitan. Pero esto es parte de la naturaleza de su trabajo, y pasará bien. Maria tiene ganas de comprar un carro más grande, porque ahora solamente tiene un pick up pequeño. Si tendría un vehiculo grande, podría llevar más a la misma vez. También, podría llevar comales más grandes, con que se puede ganar mucho más, porque siempre hay más demanda que oferta con los comales grandes. En general, Maria le agradezca su préstamo de Kiva y está contenta de tener la oportunidad de aumentar su negocio.

Dear Kiva Lender,

You made a loan to a Kiva borrower in Guatemala that was posted by one of Kiva’s local field partners, FAPE (Fundación Para la Pequeña Empresa). This message is to update you on the impact that Kiva funds Kiva funds have made through FAPE and to let you know how you can continue to support FAPE’s work to provide financial services to the underserved and to alleviate poverty - one loan at a time.

Over the past three months, I have been working with FAPE in Guatemala City, and I have had the opportunity to get to know the incredibly hard-working staff and clients that make this foundation what it is. FAPE was founded over 25 years ago and holds a strong social mission to help improve the lives of Guatemalans living in a state of poverty in both urban and rural areas.

The core of FAPE’s lending structure is in providing small group loans; however, with the support of Kiva and lenders like you, they have begun offering slightly larger individual loans to borrowers with proven track records. The partnership with Kiva has allowed FAPE to support their clients in this new way and has in turn provided their clients with access to larger loans. Over the past year and a half of working with Kiva, FAPE has lent $150,000 to over 147 borrowers and has served to expand businesses and to improve the quality of life of many clients.

In addition to offering small business loans, FAPE also works with a number of pilot projects in an attempt to continue providing support and education to the communities they serve. A few of these projects include providing in-depth business training to clients, health care facilitation, and an extremely interesting project in the Santa Teresa Women’s Prison, located in Guatemala City.

FAPE was one of the only organizations to respond to the Guatemalan government’s request for rehabilitation programs in the prisons. Over the past two years, they have conducted a series of small business training seminars for the female prisoners and have disbursed about eight small loans – four of which were funded by Kiva lenders. I had the opportunity to visit Santa Teresa Prison twice during my time in Guatemala and spoke with several of the women, and I was overwhelmed by their commitment, responsibility, and true desire to learn.

One of the most dedicated women of the group is Mirna Lau. Mirna has a bubbly personality, an infectious smile, and a truly entrepreneurial spirit. Near the end of 2008, she took out a loan of $625 for a bread and pastry business that she planned to start. Much of the food consumed at Santa Teresa is brought in by the families and friends of prisoners and then sold to other inmates. Soon after receiving her loan, Mirna’s business plans fell apart. Rather than dwell on her misfortune, and knowing that she had monthly payments to make, Mirna taught herself how to make crafts out of felt and within months had built up a profitable business. In February and March of this year, she sold over 60 items and continues to have a waiting list for custom orders. She has had to start hiring other women to help her in order to meet the demand. When I spoke with Mirna, she was incredibly grateful to FAPE and to the Kiva investors who believe in her and who have given her an opportunity that she otherwise would never have had.

Mirna’s story exemplifies the true spirit and objectives of FAPE. The foundation isn’t just about issuing loans. It’s about creating a supportive and long-lasting relationship with the clients and about providing opportunity where oftentimes there is none.

From Kiva, FAPE and all the hard working borrowers here in Guatemala, we thank you for your continued support.

Submitted by Andrea Bouch, Kiva Fellow with FAPE