Monday, January 30, 2012

Our 35th KIVA Loan

We have made our 35th KIVA loan.

42-year old Máxima lives south of Barranquilla, Colombia with her husband and their three children aged from 12 to 20 years. She was born in Bolívar Department. Together with her husband Máxima has a business selling fish and she also sells puddings. They use the income from these two jobs to support the household and would like to expand the businesses so they can earn more money and have a better life. As well, they wish to provide their children with a good education.

Máxima’s husband takes fish (bocachicos and mojarras) to distant neighbourhoods and sells them door to door, while Máxima sells from the house. Her customers are families who live nearby. Her husband buys from the market and sells strictly on account.

Their customer base has grown because people recognise the freshness of their product, so they now need more money to buy more fish. Up until now they have been able to finance this themselves. Now Máxima is asking for a loan, the first she’s had from the Mario Santo Domingo Foundation, to buy fish. She also earns money from the sale of little puddings which she sells from her house. She alternates between selling fish and selling puddings so as to earn money.

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