In March 2009, the HerBusiness Network raised funds through a silent auction and a series of business webinars to support women in businesses around the world through Kiva, an organisation that provides micro-loans in developing countries. Last year, these funds were repaid and further reinvested in a number of female entrepreneurs – and we are pleased to announce that this year we are continuing to spread the ABN member support to more women in developing countries this year. Here are the stories and profiles of this year’s recipients. I share their stories here to demonstrate the parallel between business owners in all countries. Our circumstances may differ (immensely), but our spirit and our goals are often similar. Education, inspiration and networking and connections are the common elements to our success regardless of our location.
REDILLA RUBIO
Phillipines
Redilla Rubio is a 48-year-old married woman with seven children. She and her husband are both farmers. They live in Banga, South Cotabato, where their farm is also located. Rice is the main crop that they grow on their land. Redilla works hard to improve their business. Redilla requested a loan to purchase seeds, fertilisers and other farm inputs. She hopes to have a successful business.
PAULITA
Mexico
Paulita is a very enterprising woman who, despite the economic situation in the country, has a business selling good quality used clothing that she offers to her friends and neighbours at an even lower price. Paulita is the mother of two little ones and wants to provide them a better quality of life. For that reason, she chooses to have a business that operates only on weekends in order not to neglect her family and household chores. The business has been operating for eight years because of the care and kindness Paulita offers to serve her customers. This business is part of her family’s source of income, apart from what her husband earns working in a factory. In order for the business to continue generating income, she needs to purchase seasonal merchandise.
MATILDE ALTAGRACIA
El Salvador
Matilde Altagracia is a merchant who works selling pupusas (traditional stuffed corn patties), bread rolls with chicken, soft drinks and natural refreshments. She lives with her husband and has a four-year-old child. She relied upon her husband’s support in starting up her business and is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Currently, she is seeking a loan to purchase merchandise and furniture for the business, in particular chicken, cracklings, quesillo (a soft cow’s milk cheese), bread and drinks. With these materials, she will serve her customers for a good while and generate more sales. Her objective is to remain in business, grow her customer base and pay off this loan punctually so as to continue on with her enterprise.
MARIA ESTHELA VIZHNAY PANI
Ecuador
Señora María Esthela Vizhnay Pani sells Tiens Natural Products (vitamins, weight loss products, nutritional supplements, beauty products, etc) for a living. She has been selling these for two years and works seven days a week without a fixed schedule. María will use this new loan to purchase natural products to stock and grow her business. Her goal is to continue selling these products and to expand her business.
ANA CELINA RODRIGUEZ MENDOZA
Nicaragua
Ana Celina Rodriguez Mendoza is a small businesswoman who has a desire to do well in life. Four years ago, she managed to build three rooms with the goal of renting them out. She also built a car wash. Starting out with loans from other banks, then from Afodenic, she has managed to make improvements to the rooms that she rents out. What she would like to do now is replace the roof since the existing beams are made from wood. She will buy ‘perlines’ (metal beams) and sheets of corrugated metal, as well as windows and doors. This will increase her tenants’ safety.
CHRISTINE KATO’S GROUP
Uganda
Christine Kato‘s Group is comprised of three hard-working young women. Christine is 18 years old and lives in the town of Kyengera in the Kampala central region of Uganda. She is single and has no children. Christine has a beauty salon, which she has had for five years. To help expand her business, Christine has requested a loan. The loan will be used to purchase braids for the hair for resale. With the help of the loan, Christine hopes to generate greater profits.
MARLENIS ARRIETA REYES
Colombia
Marlenis Arrieta Reyes lives with her husband and two children, who are 14 and 16. They live in the Crespo neighborhood in the city of Cartagena. There, she sells clothes that she offers through a specialised product guide. Four years ago, when Marlenis started providing transportation for children, she saw the market with the mothers of these little ones – the opportunity to sell them merchandise. She started with encouragement from a friend, who was already in the business via a catalogue. In this way, she got her first customers and gradually, with good service and what she was offering, her clientele grew. At present, the market segment that is by Marlenis is located in exclusive areas of the city of Cartagena, where she has found profitable customers who recommend her to their acquaintances. With the loan, she will buy a large volume of merchandise that comes with good discounts. Her goal is to have an effect on her customers every day. She wants to make her dream come true of making more income that will allow her to save and offer a better well-being to her family, so that her children will become successful people in the future.
MOMOGUL HASANOVA
Tajikistan
Momogul Hasanova lives in the city of Vahdat and is involved in retail sales. She opened a mini-market near her house. Momogul has been in this business for eight years now and is requesting this loan for the purchase of a new refrigerator and dairy products.
SYLVIA BOSIRE
Kenya
For the past two years, Sylvia Bosire has operated a cosmetics shop selling to her neighbours and passersby. One major challenge to Sylvia in her business is competition from other cosmetics shops. She dreams of expanding her business to a wholesale shop in the future. With this loan, she wants to purchase a photocopier machine so she can add photocopying as a service she offers to customers.
We invite you to make a donation to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries at kiva.org. Or, if you would like us to invest with Kiva on your behalf, contact us at info@abn.org.au and we can include you with our next round of support. The HerBusiness Network community initiatives have raised over $40,000 in donations to support women around the world.
