Tomasa
A loan of $1,575 helps to buy a variety of colors of thread, drinks, staple food products and snack food.
Tomasa's story
With hands full of history and effort, Tomasa, 56 years old, has dedicated her life to preserving traditional art and constructing her own sustenance. She is married to a bricklayer and has no children. Tomasa studied through to 6th grade, but at 12 years of age had to abandon school after the death of her mother, assuming responsibilities while still young.
For 36 years Tomasa has earned a living embroidering traditional blouses “huipiles” by hand, a skill she has perfected over time. Besides this she weaves baskets from rafia palm, generating additional income. She currently employs two people who help making two huipiles and six baskets per month. Ten years ago she diversified her income with a convenience store in her own shop. She is now requesting her 1st loan from Kiva to buy a variety of colors of thread, drinks, staple food products and snack food. Her goal is to met new demand and enhance her businesses.
Tomasa speaks Spanish and Kaqchikel and lives in the department/state of Chimaltenango. She is participating in Friendship Bridge's “Bridge to Success” program. She receives a diversity of technical advise in presentations as well as online so she can obtain more knowledge. The lessons that stood out for her are: good customer service and creating inventories. Theses lessons will certainly help Tomasa have more success.
Tomasa shares a “Thank you to the Kiva lenders”.
Previous loan details
Tomasa's previous loanTranslated from Spanish by Kiva volunteerleonardo. View original language description.