We’re passionate about supporting women in business and helping them create and grow their businesses, learn and develop skills and connect with others – no matter where they may be. It’s why we continue to support women and entrepreneurs in disadvantaged areas through KIVA, a non-profit that provides micro loans.

“I’m inspired by the commitment of these women to their businesses, families and communities. I’m passionate about supporting diverse enterprises and the determination these women have to continuously improve their businesses,” says Suzi Dafnis.

Here are the stories and profiles of the women and micro businesses that we are supporting this year.

For many of these women, a little money can go a long way. It could mean the difference between growing their ideas and improving their businesses, purchasing necessary business supplies, paying for their children’s education, providing basic health services or even just improving their family’s overall living standards.

Nasiba – Tajikistan

Nasiba is an experienced seamstress in Istaravshan, Tajikistan. As a seamstress, she relies on a functioning sewing machine, however her sewing machine recently malfunctioned. With the loan, Nasiba wishes to purchase a computerised sewing machine that she hopes is able to improve the quality of her work. Through a previous KIVA loan, Nasiba was able to pay for her child’s education and with this loan, she hopes that she is also able to grow her customer base.

San Andres Group – Mexico

The San Andres Group is made up of a hardworking people in a community in Mexico. The majority of residents depend on raising livestock to make a living. Marcela, a member of the group, has sold medicinal herbs for the past 15 years from her home to relieve common ailments. She wishes to share with others her knowledge of herbs and the benefits they have; something she learned from her mother and grandmother and by undertaking specialised training. Marcela says the loan can ensure that she always has a cure available for her patients in the long-term.

Other members wish to invest in a variety of goods and services that will be beneficial for their community. Maria de Lourdes wishes to purchase gifts, Yesika wishes to invest in tamales, Maria Teresa in tortillas, Agenlica in selling chicken, Natalia in snacks, Olivia in aesthetic surgery and Maria Fernanda in shoes.

Teresa – United States

Teresa started designing jewellery in her basement in 2012, and put on her first fashion show in 2014. Soon after she launched Simply Fabulous One, an online store offering women’s clothing, jewellery and accessories. However, there was a catch – her ideas were too big for her pockets. Through an entrepreneur program for low-income residents, she was able to test her store in North Minneapolis, an area with high economic inequality. With the loan, Teresa hopes that she is able to increase her inventory and gain working capital that can in turn, stimulate economic growth in the area.

Martha – Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Martha is a dedicated baker with over nine years’ experience. She dreams that her bakery will one day, become a small business. She is constantly gaining new customers as the demand for bread in the area is high. However, Martha is lacking the resources to properly equip her bakery to match demand. Her previous loan helped Martha purchase an industrial oven and she was able to pay her instalments punctually. With this loan, Martha hopes to buy an industrial stove and liquified gas canisters to further grow her bakery.

Yohanna – Colombia

Yohanna is a small businesswoman in Rosal, a small town in Colombia. She started her own business so she could spend more time with her family and soon after, her husband also came on board. Their business enables them to pay for their children’s education and general wellbeing. However, Yohanna now wants to expand her store and be able to offer a wider variety of items to increase sales. In order to do this, she wants to improve their store and hopes the loan can assist her to buy building materials including sand, cement and pebbles.

Tsaghik – Armenia

Tsaghik, 57, lives in Tsovagyugh, a village in Armenia. She takes great pleasure in farming and enjoys cattle care and land cultivation. Tsaghik sells her farm’s produce, including milk, cheese, meat, curd, eggs and macun (Armenia’s national dairy-product) together with her daughter-in-law. However, with no suitable transport, they are unable to sell their produce at the city’s more profitable wholesale market. With the loan, Tsaghik will purchase a truck that can help her sell their farm’s produce in the city and generate more income.

Lusik – Armenia

Lusik owns a retail shop with a loyal clientele in Yerevan City in Armenia, selling clothing and shoes for women, men and kids. She works to provide for her husband, a taxi driver and her son, a construction worker. Several dressing rooms in Lusik’s shop need to be renovated and she hopes that with the help of the loan, she is able to pay for the renovations. In turn, she hopes that this will attract new clients to her store and generate more income to help improve her family’s living standard.

Vusala – Azerbaijan

Vusala is an internally displaced person who lives with her husband and two children in the Bilasuvar region in Azerbaijan. She grows and sells seasonal vegetables however is only able to generate a limited income from this. Vusala also works as a tailor during her spare time to earn additional income to provide for her family. Access to medicine is expensive and difficult for refugees and Vusala’s husband is ill and needs care. She hopes that with the loan she is able to purchase better fertilisers and garden tools to increase her productivity and income.

Francesca – United States

A trip back to Guatemala in 2009 where she was met with scenes of contaminated water inspired Francesca to action. She got the idea to work with local artisans in Guatemala to produce contemporary designs for huarache sandals. It took her a while to gain the trust of local community members however she was finally able to after frequent visits. Part of the proceeds from sales of the huarache sandals are donated to help provide clean, safe drinking water for children in Guatemala. Francesca says the less time these children spend collecting water, the more time they are able to spend in school. Hiring local artisans to craft the designs means that they are able to provide for their own families. Francesca hopes the loan can help her produce new Ix Style merchandise, including scarves and in turn make an impact on the lives of children and communities in Guatemala.

Gvantsa – Georgia

Gvantsa, 25, lives in the Khashuri district in Georgia with her parents and grandparents. Together, the family grow potatoes and haricot on their own plot of land which they then sell locally. Gvantsa dreams of opening a beer pub so she is able to financially provide for her family. The loan will provide the necessary capital she requires to open the beer pub and increase her family’s income.

Pologa – Samoa

Pologa, 63, has been running a business selling bananas and taros in her local community for over a year now. With 8 children to provide for, Pologa hopes that she is able to purchase supplies to aid in the day-to-day running of her business. With the loan, she hopes to purchase a wheelbarrow, a water tank, gloves, a rake, a shovel, chemicals, taro roots (seedlings) and banana tubers (seedlings).

Marie – Israel

Marie runs a home-based daycare and after-school care program for both young children and school-aged children. This combination enables easy transition of young children to the after-school care program once they begin elementary school in a warm and nurturing environment. With the loan she hopes to carry out renovations to the after-school area and upgrade the outdoor play area, including adding an air-conditioner and gate for the outside play area. She hopes that in the future she is able to run whole-day classes for older children who encounter difficulties with staying in school.

This post was co-authored by Gina Yeung. Gina completed a social media internship at HerBusiness. She studies Media & Communications at the University of Sydney.