Tikal Group

Fabrics in Guatemala represent identity and tradition, and they also provide a livelihood for many families. One such example is María, a 49-year-old married mother of two daughters, aged 19 and 22. Her older daughter is an accountant, while the younger one has completed ninth grade.  María finished sixth grade but left school due to her mother's illness. Her husband works as a farmer. For the past ten years, María has been making and selling traditional costumes; she embroiders “huipiles” blouses and “cortes” skirts with the help of three employees, delivering four garments a month. In addition, she operates two other businesses, a chicken farm and a fruit farm that produces seasonal fruits such as avocados and peaches.

María is seeking her 11th loan from Kiva to buy fabrics, threads, and fruit trees. Her goal is to continue growing and strengthening her business.

In the department of Quiché, seven women of K'iche Mayan ancestry live and form the community bank Friendship Bridge “Tikal”. Their business includes buying and selling seasonal fruits, embroidering fabrics, and breeding animals. During their monthly meetings, they discuss topics like saving, entrepreneurship, and how to avoid overindebtedness.  They also cover issues related to health, family, women, and business, and receive a bimonthly visit from a nurse who provides basic services, consultations, and information requests.

The loan recipients are grateful to Kiva lenders for their support. 

In this group: Juana , Maria , Juana , Maria Magdalena , Sofia , Irma , Dina Tomasa Esperanza

Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteerMaria Bacigalupe. View original language description.