Martha Luz Chogas De Melendez

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Martha Luz Chogas de Melendez by Manuela Ramos / CrediMUJER in Peru. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the 4 months of this loan, Manuela Ramos / CrediMUJER will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Earlier this week I visited Martha at her photography and copy shop in the main square of Yarinacocha, a suburb of the city of Pucallpa. Martha was eager to show me her computer and printer (for digital photography) which she purchased with a loan from Manuela Ramos. Martha and her husband have both been in the photography business since before they were married-- they recalled recent decades when they were printing ID and passport photos in black and white. They are proud to have been able to expand their business over the years and upgrade their equipment. Martha's credit from Manuela Ramos has helped her a lot in purchasing new copy and photography equipment for their shop.

Martha has been working with Manuela Ramos for four years. She is currently paying back a loan of 700 soles (about $230) through her communal bank, "Nuevo Eden" (New Eden). Martha decided to take out a smaller loan than usual this time because sales at her shop have gone down as a result of the global economic crisis. Martha wants to be sure she can make her loan payments on time. She used this most recent loan to purchase film and office supplies, which she also sells in her shop. Occasionally, Martha has to contend with other difficulties in her business. When the copy machine or another piece of equipment breaks down, she loses a few days of sales because spare parts often have to be brought all the way from Lima. Additionally, there is a lot of competition in the area.

Martha and her husband have two adult children, a son and a daughter, both of whom help out with the business. Their son also owns a restaurant next door. Martha and her husband have many goals for their business, particularly around acquiring better equipment. Martha would like to get a larger, more professional digital camera and a faster, more capable digital printer. Martha and her husband also hope to buy a special machine for printing receipts and bills. This machine would afford a great business opportunity as there is currently no one in Yarinacocha who has one-- local residents must go to Pucallpa to get such services.

Martha is pictured here with her husband in front of their shop. To view a list of currently fundraising loans for Martha's MFI, Manuela Ramos, click Here.