Casa De La Monarca Group

The group called “Casa de La Monarca” (House of the Monarch) consists of eleven hardworking women from the community of La Mesa. This beautiful community has a picturesque view of mountains and trees of various types. Located on the outskirts is a sanctuary that is known for its beautiful landscape and for being the place where the monarch butterfly chooses to hibernate. After hibernation, the butterflies migrate to the United States and Canada. The group is named after the area where they live, since it is represented by the monarch butterfly, and its members are proud to live near this sanctuary. The eleven women of the group are married. Most of them have groceries businesses, while the remaining women operate businesses in which they grind corn. They are requesting a loan to expand their businesses by selling corn, soft drinks, and bread since these products generate good sales in this area. The names of the eleven members are as follows:

1. Angelina C. C., age 42 2. Raquel G. M., age 37 3. Maria Elena C. P., age 37 4. Berenice R. G., age 21 5. Gloria F. C., age 23 6. Juana G. M., age 36 7. Maria Guadalupe S. S., age 31 8. Guillermina S. G., age 32 9. Margarita M. C., age 56 10. Jenoveva S. S., age 48 11. Angela F. N., age 39

These eleven women seek to move forward and advance economically so that they can have a better quality of life. The group representative is Angelina C. C. who has a business grinding corn and raising pigs. She is requesting a loan to expand her grinding business and open a grocery store where she can sells soft drinks, juices, and bread.

Doña Margarita is another member of this group who has a grocery store. She also works as a tour guide, assisting visitors from the United States and Brazil who want to see the butterfly sanctuary. Margarita works as a tour guide from November 4th until the last few days of March when the monarch butterfly ends its hibernation and begins its migration to the United States and Canada. The butterflies return during the months of December, January, and February to mate. Margarita says these events are beautiful to watch and that her neighbors in the area are proud to witness them. She is 56 years old and has a large family of ten children, five sons and five daughters. Eight of her children are already married and only two still live with her. Unfortunately, one child is disabled and requires treatments. Doña Margarita’s husband works as a carpenter in the community. She lives in her own home and now has great desire to move forward in her businesses so that she can help her child.