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Esperanza is a 49 year old Nicaraguan woman, a strong and hard-working person. She has 6 children, two of them are minors in age and still live with her and her husband. Five years ago she started her own business to be able to take care of them and also support the household economically. Her husband works as agricultural labor on a nearby farm.
With her enterprising character she has been trained and opened a plot growing pepper. Currently she has about 800 plants which she financed with a loan from Fundación Mujer. The other business she does is the sale of cheese which she buys from a supplier in a neighboring community. She has manged to diversify her business and help her children with their studies.
Currently her plot is in production and due to the attacks from the climate, she needs to buy inputs to prevent infestations and disease that would ruin her production. She has had two loan that have allowed her to develop her business. This micro entrepreneur has a strong business which generates income to reinvest and also cover some of the household obligations.
Esperanza's business has a fixed market to buy her pepper, the Propica company, with whom she has a contract. She has a total of 800 plants in production. The growing season is year round with three harvests per year. She has the advantage of a fixed buyer which provides a stable price during the season and buys all that she produces.
There is the possibility of infestation and disease and for this reason she is taking preventative measures. Propica offers technical assistance and the client has to apply the recommended products with the aim of keeping the plantation healthy and having good production. Her field work is supported by her husband and a hired agricultural laborer to do specific tasks. She tries to provide a mixed management of the plantation, incorporating organic products in respect to pest control and infestations and work practices such as cutting the grass by hand.
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer leonardo. View original language description.
