El Salvador | Women's Empowerment International

Grecia | El Salvador

Nov 12, 2025 | El Salvador, News, Women Stories

Meet Grecia from El Salvador

Grecia Mancias is a 36 years old women, who live at Colonia Rodríguez, at Usulután. Her family is constituted by her husband and 2 children who are 9 and 15 years old, respectively. All family members and Grecia are blind, but they all together deal with daily challenges with courage. Grecia began a small business providing massage services, 14 years ago. She use to provide the service at customers home, which just let her to serve a maximum of 4 customers a day, besides the risks of moving from one place to another and require someone else to take care of their children. She looked for financial support at different financial entities, which did not consider Grecia as a customer. OEF community facilitator was able to know Grecia and offer her an inclusive loan, which was approved for USD$350.00. Grecia invested the money on developing a space inside her house to receive customers, buy a cooler and a vibrating device to improve provision of massages.

Since she was able to open the space at her house, she is able to take care of her children at the same time that she works. Also, she promote her small business on social media and currently she is able to serve between 6 and 8 patients every day, which has improve her income to support her family. Grecia’s husband also provides for family support since he is also a entrepreneur who practices street vending of different product.

“Together we can make dreams come true and build a fair and inclusive society!!” Grecia comments.

Catalina | El Salvador

Apr 21, 2024 | El Salvador, Women Stories

A message from Catalina, 53-year-old participant with our grant partner, OEF in El Salvador:

I am Catalina and I live with my family: my husband, my daughter and one grandchild. I received a USD$300 inclusive loan, which I used to buy a sewing machine and some sewing supplies to begin a small sewing workshop. I am providing the service at my community and my income varies from $225 to $250 every month, which provides support to my family.

I feel blessed and grateful to OEF and WE for providing the fund, for women can accomplish the dream to become entrepreneurs and support their families.

Your donation creates a positive impact in the lives of women like Catalina!

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Maria Aracely | El Salvador

May 8, 2023 | El Salvador, Featured News/ Events, Our Impact Page, Women Stories

Maria Aracely is a young, single, and resilient mother at the age of 22. She lives with her 3 year old son, Camilo, in the state of San Vicente in El Salvador. She participates in a family-centered program hosted by WE grant partner, OEF El Salvador, to learn about early child development and ensuring Camilo will grow up as a healthy child.

Maria Aracely heard about OEF’s inclusive loans, which WE has funded, and quickly asked for more information. She applied, was accepted into the program, and received a $200 to start up a business. María has began a business selling different kinds of clothes through social media and making home deliveries around her community.

In under a month, she has reached an income of $65, and she still has merchandise to continue with her business.

Maria says she is grateful for the opportunity, to WE, and to OEF and CrediManá, who have all made this possible for her. She sees and lives a new reality where she can now have a business, make a steady, reliable income, and take care of her child, all at once.

Dra. Dinorah Beatriz Sánchez de Flores, Executive Director of OEF, says of the women like Maria in their programs, “All these women are strong human beings who are trying to do their best pushed mainly by their children.”

Uris | El Salvador

Oct 5, 2022 | El Salvador, Hispanic Heritage Month, New Grant Partner, Our Impact Page, Uncategorized, Women Stories

Uris from El Salvador

Uris Esperanza Cruz de Muñoz, lives at Colonia La Pista, Usulutan, a state on the East side of El Salvador, considered to be one of those under extreme poverty conditions and with high rates of irregular migration. Her family includes her husband, Marcos, who is a laborer, and their four children, three of which are still at school.

She has always been a entrepreneur. She used to have a tortilleria, making corn tortillas to be sold. On 2015, she had the opportunity to access her first loan – she received $200 – to enhance the tortilleria. She was able to improve her production and income and diversify with a small grocery store, with a few different products.

She has received four loans since then. By the second one, she stopped making tortillas – a really exhausting activity – and dedicated her efforts and resources to growing and expanding the grocery store. Currently, she received her most recent loan in January 2022 for $500. She used the money to keep investing in the grocery store. She introduced even more diversity of products to become the first choice of stores for her community. She already has enough profit to keep the business, support her family, and afford the payback of the loan.

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