Virtuosas Group

Twenty-three-year-old Juana shares that she left school after the seventh grade because she didn’t think it was important for her to continue her education. She is married to a weaver of traditional skirts, known as ”cortes.” Five years ago, she joined her husband's weaving business and the couple have three employees who help them fill orders.

Juana sells by custom order and in one week, she can sell one dozen cortes. She requests her third Kiva loan to buy a much-needed loom and different colors of thread. Her goals are to expand the business and build a cement block house. She and her family, including a three year old daughter, currently live in a house made of wood.

Seven Maya K’iche women, including Juana, participate in the Friendship Bridge “Microcredit Plus” program. They formed the Trust Bank “Virtuosas.” All the women are weavers and live in a rural area in the department/state of Solola. They look forward to their monthly meeting when they offer each other support, make loan payments and participate in an educational training (family, women, health, business), part of the program. Every two months, they have access to healthcare that includes pap smears, cervical and breast exams, and hypertension screenings, pregnancy tests, and family planning consults. A visiting nurse, who speaks their Maya K'iche language, offers these health care services and makes the women feel comfortable.

Thank you, Kiva lenders!

In this group: Lidia , Luciana , Nicolasa , Erica Antonieta , Angelica Evelina , Juana Mildred Jennifer, Lucia Adelia