Entrepreneurs/Esperanza/Kiva

One of my primary duties here at Esperanza is to post Kiva profiles of entrepreneurs whom I've interviewed. Along the same line, I write polished stories that Esperanza can use during the coming months to best communicate with donors. It's also wonderful because these interviews overlap perfectly with my research project, which is to learn about the impact of the training programs.

Below, I've posted two of these (hopefully) polished stories:

Title: Not Deterred

Esperanza International utilizes the Grameen model of group lending. Each group consists of five associates and each member is responsible for the loans of the other. So if one defaults, the other four associates must pull together to payback that portion. Some groups bond together and embrace the potential for solidarity and growth, while others seem to resent this increased responsibility and even fail to cooperate occasionally.

Unfortunately, Ruth was originally a member of such a group. Often the tension at these meetings in palpable and it would be understandable if even the most responsible and enthusiastic associates became disheartened with the microfinance experience. But this is not the situation for Ruth.

While she successfully paid back her first two loans with the original group, Ruth took control of the situation and found a new solidarity group. She recognized that her slightly sour first experience did not have to be her only one. Rather, she acknowledged the good she had received and sought to improve her partnership with Esperanza through a new solidarity group. Ruth is excited because she has great hope for this new group (Encuento con Jesus 4). She shared that it is directly evident that these women are ready to flourish with the opportunity that microfinance provides and are simultaneously ready to be dependable group members.

Likewise, Ruth is personally excited for her prospects. When she took out her first group loan in February 2008, Ruth ran a tiny colmado, a small store that sells primarily durable goods and foods such as rice and potatoes. Almost a year and half later, Ruth now runs a cafetería where she sells a variety of lunch foods including fresh juices, fried chicken, empanadas, and tostados. Currently, Ruth is unable to satisfy the demand of her customers (certainly a good problem to have); thus, she will use this loan to purchase more primary materials so she can expand the amount of food she produces and sells with her mother.

Not only has Ruth invested in her business and the education of her two children (4 and 6), but she is also investing in her personal education as she is taking classes in the capital three to four times each week. While she is currently between terms, she hopes to resume her studies in August.

Most impressive, however, is the joy and confidence with which Ruth describes her family, her goals, and her future. While she has great visions of business growth improved education, and home improvements, she smiles about how she and her husband are saving and working “poco a poco” (bit by bit) to make these dreams real.

Title: Artist at Heart
Clara is a bright and engaging fifty-year-old woman. Resting at the base of the tropical hills of the Los Alcarrizos barrio (community) La Pared, Clara lives with her husband and two grown sons.

To call Clara anything less than an artist would be a misnomer as she is a talented craftsman of jewelry. The bracelet, necklace, earring sets that she makes are both unique and beautiful. While she has occasionally sold her products in the past, this is the first time that she is trying to truly scale her efforts. She is moving her sporadically lucrative hobby to a developed business venture. One of the main barriers that prevented Clara from previously scaling her work was a lack of capital. She simply did not have the means to purchase the supplies she needed to make her jewelry. With the first loan she took out in June 2009, she has purchased these materials from a supplier in Santo Domingo, the capital, which is about an hour away from her home.

Clara sells her jewelry from her house and her sister’s salon as she figures women who just had their hair done will be feeling beautiful and will be more willing to purchase jewelry to complement their new style.

Clara is excited for the opportunities that this loan will provide. She thinks it is wonderful that her hobby is becoming her profession and looks forward to a life that is more stable, tranquil, and peaceful.

Additionally, Clara is incredibly dedicated to her community. She and several other women in her Bank of Hope are running an afternoon program for children during July 2009. This program meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2 PM until 5 PM and aims to expose children to the arts. One of the most striking impacts of microfinance is the affect it has upon the children of the associates, exposing them to better education and a life of more opportunity. This program that Clara is helping run indicates that she and her fellow associates understand this influence and are eager to work as facilitators of change and growth.