Susan Jeannette, a young woodworker in Costa Rica, had ambition and vision — she just needed help funding her business. But in Costa Rica, only 22% of entrepreneurs are women, and in rural areas, it’s difficult for many women to access funding for their businesses at all. For Susan, a Kiva loan not only made success possible, it showed her that people all over the world believe in her. "Thank you," she says. "You're not just helping me, you're helping the families that my work will support."

The true meaning of resilience.

Living in a small community, Susan’s biggest priority is providing a better life for her children. After years of working in a restaurant, she realized she needed a way to earn money while also taking care of her family. When she began selling handicrafts with her mother, Susan discovered her passion for making art to support her family — and serve her community. Starting her own business wasn’t easy, but one of Susan’s favorite words is resilience. “To me, it means to be strong, to be persistent,” she says. “You can achieve something despite lots of people telling you no — because I heard a lot of no!”

Building a better future, for everyone.

To be more competitive with her business, Susan began to carve out a speciality area for her crafts. Combining her love of art with her passion for education, Susan created interactive classroom materials to help children learn through experiences, like her “Materiales Sensoriales” products that she sells to Montessori Schools. As her business grew, Susan wanted to make sure she was supporting her community, as well. She worked with other artists, especially women, because she knew they deserved support in their own endeavors. “I don’t want to be their boss,” she says. “I want them to grow with me.”

How a Kiva loan changed everything.

Susan was persistent and determined to see her business succeed. She needed to buy more raw materials to create higher-quality products and improve production. Thanks to a Kiva loan, she was able to achieve her goal and can continue investing in her future. She hopes her hard work will inspire her children to dream bigger dreams for their own lives. And it seems to be working — her son recently told her that he wants to be a pilot someday. "That's my dream for my kids," she says, "that limits don't exist, and they can achieve anything if they put their minds to it."