María Pilco

Maria Pilco was born in Chimborazo, Ecuador. She is married and has four children, all of whom she helps support by running her small business in the Municipal de Bastión Popular – a local market for entrepreneurs in Guayaquil. She begins work at 6am and finishes by 5pm. Maria wants potential lenders to know that she has been working in this same business since she was very young when her parents first began teaching her how to run it. Her husband helps run the shop as well, but he focuses more on the purchasing and inventory side. With a $950 loan, Maria hopes to invest in marketing as well as more diverse products. The additional benefit of buying in bulk is that Maria can receive discounts from her suppliers and offer he goods at a lower price to her buyers. Ms. Pilco is part of a lending group formed by Mifex that includes her brother and sister, who have been successful borrowers in the past.