Brenda Lorena Giròn Gòmez

Brenda is a very enterprising woman and has various businesses. Right now she makes and sells slushies from the front of her house during the day, and in the afternoons she goes to a small market to sell cosmetics and eggs. She sells close to a major bus stop and takes advantage of the time when there are a lot of people passing through the area after work.

She used her loan to buy cups, spoons, and ice for the slushies and also to purchase more cosmetics and large boxes of eggs. Although she has just received the loan, Brenda says that she can already see a different in her businesses. She has purchased many products that she lacked before and has seen an increase in her earnings. She is using the additional income to reinvest in her businesses.

Brenda is very grateful for her loan and for the support from Kiva. 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. Brenda is grateful for the larger loan and says that it has helped her businesses a lot.

In addition to her businesses, Brenda has two children, one two years old and one thirteen years old. The older one is in school and is studying well. They currently live with Brenda’s mother-in-law, but she dreams of someday having her own house. She would also love to have her own convenience store in the future. More than anything, Brenda hopes that her family advance in life.

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Brenda es una mujer muy emprendedora y tiene varios negocios. Ahora ella hace y vende granizados en la puerta de su casa durante el día, y en las tardes ella va a un mercadito para vender cosméticos y huevos. Ella vende cerca de una parada principal de buses y aprovecha la hora cuando hay muchísima gente pasando por su local después del trabajo.

Usó su crédito para comprar vasos, cucharitas, y hielo para los granizados y también para comprar más cosméticos y cajas de huevos grandes. Aunque acaba de recibir el crédito, Brenda dice que ya puede ver una diferencia en sus negocios. Ha comprado muchos productos que faltaban antes y ha visto un aumento en sus ganancias, la que está usando para reinvertir en sus negocios.

Brenda está muy agradecida por su préstamo y por el apoyo de Kiva. 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. Brenda agradece el préstamo más grande y dice que ha ayudado sus negocios bastante.

Además de sus negocios, Brenda tiene dos hijos, uno de dos años y otro de trece años. El mas grande esta en la escuela y estudiando bien. Ahora viven con su suegra, pero ella sueña que algún día tendrá su propia casa. Le encantaría tener su propia tienda de consumo diario también en el futuro también. Más que nada, ella quiere que su familia siga adelante.

Brenda continues with her businesses of selling slushies and cosmetics. With her loan she was able to save a lot of money by purchasing cosmetic products in bulk. She sells her products on a busy street, close to a large bus stop and says that she has a fairly strong client base and sales have been good. She has been able to make all of her payments and is on schedule to fully repay her loan by June.

With some of the money she has earned, Brenda was able to buy things like toys and diapers for her 2-year old daughter.

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