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Maria Aracely | El Salvador

Maria Aracely | El Salvador

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

Uris | El Salvador

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.