Brisas De Xejuyub Group

Thirty-four year old Odilia has a ninth grade education and married a man who sells new clothing. They are parents of three children who range in age from one to ten. Two of the children attend school.

For ten years, Odilia has embroidered beautiful traditional blouses called “huipiles.” Her husband works with her, and they can produce two “huipiles” per month. Recently, Odilia opened a convenience store. Her goals are to enlarge the store and build her own storefront and home. Right now, she is living with her in-laws. She requests her third Kiva loan to buy inventory for the store.

Odilia has joined six other Maya K'iche women who live in a rural area in the department/state of Totonicapan to participate in the Friendship Bridge “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (health, family, women, business) and bi-monthly health care services (exams, consults, family planning). Recent topics for the training have centered around self-esteem, savings and the dangers of over-indebtedness. They also learn about everyday topics like hygiene, nutrition, women’s rights and roles and the use of medicinal plants. Health care services, delivered by a traveling nurse, are crucial to their success.

Kiva lenders, partnering with Friendship Bridge, are giving Odilia and her friends a viable way to grow their animal husbandry and traditional textile businesses and to chart a more successful future! Thank you!

In this group: Odilia Oralia, Alejandrina, Deisy Siomara, Natalia , Marleny Lizeth, Veronica Evelin , Martina