The six women of the Group Mujeres Exitosas, from Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez, Guatemala, chose their name because they see themselves becoming more successful with the help of the business advisor and the training on managing their money that Namaste will provide them. This business education is in addition to the loan they will receive. They have a variety of business to support themselves and help educate their children. Several make and sell food, one has a catalog business and another sells cleaning products.

Ana Griselda (third from the right in the photo) is a 32 year old single mother of two girls 10 years and 3 years. The older girl, who is in school, suffers from respiratory troubles. So Ana has expenses for medicine as well as for school. When she became pregnant with the first daughter her parents threw her out of the house and she cleaned houses to make money to survive. Subsequently her parents took her back and three years ago she started her food business. In the morning, from a basket on the street, she sells bread with chicken or black beans, and other items like tortillas and stuffed peppers. She will be spending her loan money on a stove, canister of gas, a blender and a food processor plus some ingredients in bulk. These purchases will allow her to work more efficiently in the kitchen so she can spend more time on the street selling the food she makes. Her dream is to make enough money to rent a place from which she can sell her food throughout the day.
Her monthly sales are currently Q10,920 (US $1,400) with a profit of Q2,772 (US $355) and she hopes to increase her sales to Q13,720 (US $1,758) with an increase in profit to Q4,889 (US $627) an increase in sales of 25% and an increase in profit of 75%.