Styles of the traditional outfits of Maya women in Guatemala change throughout the decades. Decorating colorful woven and embroidered blouses/”huipiles” is now the style, as is shiny metallic thread woven into the textiles.

51-year-old Paula, a widow with nine children, ranging in age from thirteen to thirty-four, and six grandchildren, started her business fabricating “huipiles” five years ago. She sells in local markets and as a street vendor. She is happy that three of her children help her with the business.

She would love to have a more formal store to display her textiles and expand the business. Paula needs to buy more rhinestones and fabric at the wholesale level.

Paula joined six Maya K’iche women who live in the department/state of Quetzaltenango to form the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Las Bugambilias.” They all have traditional textile businesses.

Since Paula and many of these women have little or no formal education, they benefit greatly from participating in the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly educational training (health, family, women, business), and bi-monthly healthcare services (exams, consults, family planning). These “plus” programs help these women greatly, and they appreciate the Facilitator that offers training at the monthly meetings and the nurse who visits them every other month.

Thank you, Kiva lenders, for learning about Paula and her friends and funding these loans!