Jardin De Rosas Group

Forty-nine-year-old Carmen has two grown children over the age of twenty-two and three grandchildren. She attended school for nine years but could not continue due to economic factors. She is very proud of her children, who finished the ninth grade and the university (English teaching degree). Her husband has a workshop where he fixes mototaxis (three-wheeled vehicles with a driver's seat in front and a bench seat in the back). Fourteen years ago, Carmen opened a bakery in a room in her home. She offers delicious pies, cookies, and chocolates to her customers. She also works as a domestic in nearby homes every morning. Carmen is requesting her third Kiva loan to buy ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs, butter, fruit) and kitchen tools (mixers, whisks, molds, scales). She wants to formalize the business and have her own storefront.

Carmen joined eight women, who also live in her community in the department/state of Suchitepequez, and formed the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Jardin de Rosas." These women are proud of their businesses selling regional foods/snacks, bread, corn, and lotions. They appreciate the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, monthly interactive educational training (business, health, family, women), and bi-monthly healthcare services (exams, consults, family planning). Recent topics for the training were the risks of over-indebtedness and the danger of loaning one’s name to another person’s business.

Thank you, Kiva lenders, for your generosity and support!

In this group: Maria Antonia , Liliana Lisbeth , Irma Alicia , Alma Veronica , Ingrid Marisol , Evelyn Siomara , Servia De Jesus, Telma Aracely , Carmen Floridalma