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Uris | El Salvador

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. 

Marta | Guatemala

Marta | Guatemala

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

Marta Sulema Socón Sacuj from Guatemala

“Before starting the Embroidery Program, I didn’t know how to draw and it was challenging to learn. But I learned that not everything in life will come easy, rather that there are things that will be difficult. And the difficult things are worth more. I value my work because it has truly helped me to get ahead.”

Marta, 34, lives with her husband and four children in Patanatic, a small, rural village close to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The area is mountainous and houses are typically built on a hillside. Apart from agriculture (coffee, corn, fruit, vegetables; and raising poultry) economic opportunities are few. As a result, many people work outside the community in construction, restaurants, and hotels.

In 2016, Marta happily accepted Multicolores’ invitation to join the Embroidery Program. It was particularly gratifying for her because alongside acquiring embroidery and design skills, she was also trained as a teacher equipped to train other women in the technique. Marta has since formed an Embroidery group with women from her local community.

Of working with Multicolores Marta says, “working with Multicolores is not just a job for me because it’s been a fundamental part of my life, in which ‘I’ as a woman have achieved many things! I have a good job, I manage my own time, I’m with my children, and each month I have income that helps me to pay for my family’s expenses. I’ve seen many positive changes in myself and the other artists through our work with Multicolores. We feel valued and have a new confidence in our own capacity. In Guatemala, since ancient times, there have existed many prejudices against women, many think that as women we have little more to contribute than being a housewife. Now I realize that gender equality is crucial to achieving development in our communities. As women we are capable of making great contributions to our families and to society.”

Importantly for Marta, her embroidery is a source of great pride. Her pieces, inspired by nature and Maya heritage, are a way for her to keep her rich cultural history alive. She loves embroidery because it enables her to express herself freely and creatively. She hopes to always be an enterprising mother, supporting the needs of her family, investing in her children’s education, and always innovative in her work.

Merlin | Honduras

Merlin | Honduras

Mar 1, 2022 | Hispanic Heritage Month, Honduras, Our Impact Page

Meet Merlin from Honduras.

Merlin and her family live in a small city in a region on the northern coast of Honduras. The area is home to white sand beaches, rich birdlife, and lagoons. Although surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife, Merlin’s family has suffered in the wake of COVID-19.

Merlin has received 11 loans with WE Partner, Adelante, over the last five years. Her first loan of 3,000 Lempira ($122) in January 2016 provided inventory for her burgeoning pulperia (small grocery) business. With issues related to decreased demand combined with raw product supply challenges during the pandemic, she was forced to close the shop and pivot to focus on selling fish that her husband was able to catch from the sea. That helped them survive for the first year of the pandemic.

Since the quarantine mandates have been lifted, Merlin sought to reopen her store. Adelante provided her with 20,000 Lempira to re-open, and she is thrilled to have her livelihood back. Through her diligence and hard work, Merlin has been able to successfully pay off all scheduled installments. Merlin is 34 years old and has two children who both attend school.