Adding to basket
Thirty-four-year-old Manuela is a single mother raising a sixteen-year-old son who finished the ninth grade. She has a fourth-grade education because her parents lacked resources and could not afford for her to continue her studies.
Twelve years ago, she opened her traditional textile business and embroiders traditional blouses/”huipiles” and sews belts/”fajas”. Manuela has one employee, and each month, she can deliver one “huipil” and six “fajas”. She requests her seventh Kiva loan to buy fabric and thread at the wholesale level. Her goal is to enlarge her business, create more income, and hire more employees.
Six Maya Kaqchikel women elected Manuela to be Treasurer of their Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Claveles Santa Rita”. These ladies live in the department/state of Solola and sell traditional clothing, tortillas, fried chicken with potatoes, or raise animals. They look forward to monthly meetings where they participate in educational training, part of the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, educational training, and healthcare services. Recent topics for the training were about savings and wise investment practices. Other topics are about health, hygiene, nutrition, and the use of social media to advertise one’s business. They also acquire basic business management tools. Every two months, a nurse arrives at their community and offers all kinds of consults, exams, and family planning.
Thank you, Kiva lenders!
In this group: Manuela Rosa, Magdalena, Catarina, Francisca , Manuela Marina , Melanny Nohelia, Dominga
