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Felipa is from Mexico. She needs a loan of $500 to buy more clothes to sell in her shop.
Felipa is from Mexico. She needs a loan of $500 to buy more clothes to sell in her shop.
Felipa lives in Cabacera, Mexico and makes an income by working with her husband to sell secondhand clothes in a market. Her business has been challenged by a lack of funds to provide for essentials such as a cover for their market booth and reliable transportation. It is essential that they arrive early in the morning to get a space in the market, yet their truck is old and frequently breaks down. On rainy days, they cannot stay at their booth because they do not have a cover to protect their goods from the weather.
With a loan from World Vision, Felipa plans to purchase more stock for her business. She intends to use the profits to purchase a cover for her booth and to fix her truck. Felipa's goal is to sell her entire stock every 8 days and come home from the market ready to invest her profits in more clothes to sell.
Felipa is 50 years old and has been married for 32 years. She has 3 children who are older and have their own families.
Retail is a quick and scalable way to begin earning a profit. Many entrepreneurs begin with stalls at markets or even at home and need a loan to expand or increase their inventory. Others may be ready to open a small store. Goods purchased from loan funds range from clothing, grocery or sundry items to jewelry, candy, perfume or health and beauty supplies. Loans in the commerce sector account for around 33% of our loans.
Home to a primarily ethnic Mazahua population, the community of Najhé is located in a mountainous region in northeastern Mexico State. The climate is sub-humid, but temperatures are typically cool due to the region’s high elevation. Windstorms are common during the early spring, followed by heavy rains in the summer and frost in the winter.
Women in Najhé continue to wear typical Mazahua dress, and some community members uphold traditional artisan practices, producing pottery, woodwork, and crafts made of wool. The primary economic activity is agriculture. Squash, beans, and fruit are grown for consumption, while corn is grown both to eat and to sell.
World Vision’s work in Najhé includes agricultural assistance to improve nutrition and family incomes; vocational training and tutoring sessions; and self-esteem workshops. We are also working to improve health conditions by training volunteers who can educate community members and by providing housing materials that will contribute to better living environments.
There has been certain difficulties to find Felipa in order to update her information directly from her. Maria Erika, Felipa's niece, said that Felipa used the loan to improve her tortilla shop; she bought maize (the main ingredient in the typical Mexican "tortilla"). Erika explains that the business continues but Felipa moved her location where she sells the product to another community where there is a larger number of customers. Currently, Felipa is taking care of one of her daughter's who is in the hospital. Felipa's son-in-law is selling the tortillas.
In spite of the personal issues, Felipa has been making her loan payments on time.
Felipa Lopez Cruz purchased clothes to sell in her shop. She has grown her business and is making a profit. She is using her additional income to purchase food for her family and pay for the school fees of her three children.
Her loan has been paid in full. These funds are now available to help another worthy entrepreneur in her community. Thank you for supporting of Felipa and World Vision Micro!
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