Perlas Preciosas De Dios Group

45-year-old Lilian is a widow with two grown children who are 22 and 23 years old. Both are university students, studying to be a laboratory technician and an auditor.

Lilian studied nursing for 16 months, but never worked in that field. Eight years ago, she started selling kitchenware, clothing for men, women, and children, and Mexican merchandise. She sells from her home. Her mother and daughter help her attend to customers. She also works in a cafeteria.

Lilian requests her fifth Kiva loan to buy bed linens, kitchenware, clothing, and shoes. Her goals are to expand the business and have her own storefront to attractively display her merchandise.

Lilian and six friends formed the Friendship Bridge Trust Bank “Perlas Preciosas de Dios" in the department/state of Quetzaltenango. These women learn to manage their businesses, which include the sales of fruit, shellfish, prepared meals, and kitchenware, as well as beauty salons, from monthly educational training, part of the “Microcredit Plus” program of loans, education, and healthcare.

Topics like wise loan management practices, the dangers of over-indebtedness, how to be an effective entrepreneur, and the importance of not lending one’s name to another person’s business, are important. Other topics include health, women’s issues, and family matters. Every two months, a nurse comes to their community and offers all kinds of exams, consults, and family planning.

Happy New Year, Kiva lenders! Thank you!

In this group: Juana Del Rosario , Rosa Guadalupe , Ana Marilu , Lilian Lisbeth , Yani Yohana , Lesly Sugey, Chris Alondra Coyoy