Mujeres De Libertad Group

With determination and steady effort, Berta, a 42-year-old woman, has turned animal rearing into her family's primary source of income. She is married to a day laborer and is the mother of six children ranging in age from eight to twenty-one. Currently, two of her children are still in school, attending the first and second grades, while her older children were only able to complete the third, sixth, and eighth grades, respectively. Her eldest son is already married, making Berta the grandmother of a young boy. Berta herself only had the opportunity to study up to the third grade; due to economic constraints, she was unable to continue her education.

For the past eight years, she has dedicated herself to raising pigs and free-range chickens, which she sells directly from her home. Through sheer effort, she has successfully maintained her small business and continued to serve her customers. Berta is now applying for her fifth Kiva loan to purchase more pigs, chickens, and feed to fatten them up. Her goal is to meet growing demand and strengthen her business in order to increase her family's income.

The seven Spanish-speaking women who make up the Mujeres de Libertad Friendship Bridge Community Bank are all originally from the department of Suchitepéquez. They benefit from the monthly training sessions provided through the Microcredit Plus program. The information they receive regarding debt management and savings helps these women effectively run their various businesses, which include convenience stores, corn mills, casual clothing sales, firewood sales, and domestic animal rearing.

Berta shares: "Kiva lenders, thank you for your support of the women in this community bank."

In this group: Manuela Catarina , Florinda , Ligia Audelia , Lucila Ubfemia , Berta Alicia , Nidia Manuela, Irma Julieta

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