Mujeres Emprendedoras Group

Over the years, Elvia (39 years old) has demonstrated adaptability and growth. With constant effort, she has transformed small businesses into sustainable sources of income. She is married to a construction worker and has three children over the age of seventeen, who have only an average of six years of formal education. Elvia only completed first grade, dropping out because she grew up in a low-income family with ten siblings. However, sixteen years ago she started her first business selling candy, snacks, and toys at a school in her community. Currently, she employs one person to manage that sales point, while she runs her second venture: a convenience store she opened a year and a half ago in a rented space.

Elvia is applying for her first Kiva loan to invest in beverages, snacks, and toys, with the goal of expanding her inventory and increasing her income. Her objective is to strengthen her business and acquire her own premises.

There are eight women in the Friendship Bridge Community Bank, “Women Entrepreneurs,” from the department/state of Quetzaltenango. Some of them have the same businesses as Elvia, while others raise animals, sell auto parts, or run tortilla shops. They meet every month to make loan payments and then receive educational training as part of the “Microcredit Plus” program. One of the recent topics covered is avoiding over-indebtedness.

Elvia shares: “Thank you, Kiva lenders.”

In this group: Nicolasa Teodora , Brenda Yaneth , Reyna Elizabeth , Maria , Aura Marina , Josefina Aura Marina, Elvia Elvira , Maricarmen

Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteerCindy Kendall. View original language description.