Patzutzun 1 Group

Crecencia tells me there is not much happening in the village of Patzutzun where they are from. Most of them do not have running water in their homes. Their living situation is often not very good. Following the suggestion of one group member's husband, they formed the group and travelled to the office of Friendship Bridge in Sololá to apply for a loan. The bonding between the group members is strong because they know each other very well. There is a lot of laughing when Crecencia tells me with a flashing smile how she trusts and loves everybody equally and very much.

Like most of the women, Dominga, the president of the group, has a business dealing in agriculture. She has some chickens and grows vegetables such as carrots and onions. Some group members buy and re-sell various condiments such as beans and fruit and vegetables. They will sell them at different markets. There are also some women who sell tortillas and/or bread. The ones who have animals have raised animals their whole life. This is a very common way to try to make money in Patzutzun.

For many of the members of this group, it is the first time they've received a loan through Friendship Bridge. They have ambitious plans such as: increasing the amount of products in their stores and using their land as economically as possible. The loan will enable them to buy better seeds at lower costs. By using the credit to buy in bulk, the women who buy and sell vegetables will be able to buy at lower prices and thus be able to make more profit.

Crecencia tells me their children all go to school, but need more supplies to be able to study well. The lacking pencils, paper, and schoolbooks are something she wants to provide them with first. When she is able to buy more, she really wants to buy them better school uniforms. The uniforms they wear now were bought for other family members and don't fit very well. The others agree, it is their biggest wish that their children have a chance at a better future!





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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