Adding to basket
Silvia lives in Corregimiento de Campeche in the Atlántico Department. From a very young age she’s been preparing delicious meals and cakes, an occupation she learned from her mother who worked as a domestic employee. When her mother died, Silvia started doing the same kind of work because she liked preparing meals very much. When she formed her own home, she started working independently preparing lunches, cakes and stews which today delight the taste buds of neighbors and occasional customers that visit the corregimiento (a Colombian territorial division not quite large enough to be a town).
Three years ago she started selling merchandise via specialized product catalogues and this activity has turned out to be very good. Her profit margin is high and her clientele has increased considerably.
Her husband had to stop working as a cabinet maker due to a serious illness so Silvia had to take over responsibility for the home five years ago. She now runs both businesses, selling catalogue merchandise and preparing meals, which makes it possible for her to cover her costs and to cover her household’s expenses in their totality.
She has the necessary equipment to carry out her business. She manages a good profit margin and good cash flow. Her sister helps her with all the activities she carries out. She has the ability to pay and one can see the interest she has in moving her businesses ahead so that her family can advance.
Her Kiva loan is the first loan she’s gotten from Fundación Mario Santo Domingo. She’ll use it to buy ingredients to prepare meals and assorted merchandise, like cosmetics that are on special sale in her catalogues, that are very good and make her business more profitable.
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer anonymized. View original language description.
