How do you start a business from little to no resources? Who will invest in the lives of those without enough credit to apply for a loan? Our partner in Mexico is working with women who may have started from few resources but have grown into successful business owners, providing for their family and their community. What begins as a small loan grows into a sustainable way of living for many women in the state of Oaxaca.
“Two women, Lulú and Judith, worked as cashiers in a commercial center in Oaxaca City. When they first received loans from Fuentes Libres, they decided to open a “miscelánea” (a small general store). Their store grew successfully, and now after two years, they have a large store that provides basic goods for the whole neighborhood. They are even planning to open an Internet café in the near future. They attest that, thanks to the loan from Fuentes Libres, they have not only been able to prosper in their business, but also in their family life.”
Learn more about this project here.
“When the women capture the vision of the project (empowerment) and are capable of working without an economic dependence on Fuentes Libres, they are able to be an independent community bank. They also transmit the vision of Fuentes Libres to others by encouraging and helping other groups of women to form other community banks. This can be seen in the community banks of the community of Miahuatlan, where women are succeeding; a second bank has opened, and a member of the group is acting as the bank official who reports directly to Fuentes Libres.” These women are a part of community transformation through the Fuentes Libres project.
