Flor Cotzalense 2 Group

Juana is 50 years old. Due to her family's limited financial resources, she was only able to attend school through the second grade. From a young age, she helped her mother with kitchen chores and worked cleaning the house of a neighbor every day.

She got together with her life partner when she was 20, and they had six children. She found out about the Chajulense Association of Women United for Life and the loans it offers from a cousin who told her about it. This year she will receive her seventh loan, all of which she has used to invest in her store selling everyday consumer products. This year, she will invest in expanding her store by buying sugar, salt, soft drinks, eggs, cooking oil, and sweets.

Juana is the leader of the Flor Cotzalense 2 group, which is made up of six women, all from the Maya Ixil ethnic group. The group will invest 83% in textiles and 17% in retail sales. On average, each member of the group has three children, and the average age of the group members is 42. Seventeen percent are illiterate, 17% did not complete primary education, 17% completed primary education, 32% studied through the ninth grade, and 17% graduated from high school (eleventh grade).

In this group: Juana, Juana Eligia, Juana, Magdalena Judith, María, Rosa

Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteerGinny Kalish. View original language description.