Borrower Profile : Iriz

Guest Post from PHPG Volunteer, Paige Cohn.

In order to pay for her transportation to and from her university, Iriz began her own business selling Avon and clothes.  She was well placed to do this, as she could sell to her classmates and grow her business through word-of-mouth at her school.  However, this was not Iriz’ first time being self-employed.  Since the age of 14 she had been helping her Aunt sell clothing. She would sell to her classmates and  split the profits with her Aunt.  After her son was born,  she needed money to support him and to make sure she finished university.  Iriz enrolled in school to study accounting, and since then has used her education to keep her own accounting books for her business.  Iriz just graduated from university this year. She wants a good life for her son, and hopes to find a salaried job in addition to her own business to help provide that for him.

Borrower Profile Series, Gloria

Guest Post from PHPG Volunteer: Paige Cohn

Gloria, is the matriarch of her medley family.  For most of her life she’s been a single mom of 3 of her own children and the 3 more she adopted, left to support them on her own.  In order to feed her family, she ventured into the world of self-employment.  She been a cook, a seamstress, a farmer, but her most important role is being a Mother.  After her own children were grown and married, she found 3 little girls on her doorstep, abandoned by their parents.  Gloria took these three girls in, adopted them as her own, and is currently working to send them to school.     

Gloria has always been a self-starter.  Having to be self-reliant for most of her life, she feels lucky with the success that she has had in her life.  Whatever she makes, she sells. Her compassion and hard work ethic is something she has instilled in her children, as she encourages them to continue to study, hoping she can buy them the materials they need to complete their education.  After we finished with the interview, Gloria sent us home with a bag full of mangoes and bananas out of her backyard.

Gloria hopes that eventually she’ll be able to save for her retirement, so that she can support herself when she can’t work, forever being the autonomous, self-sufficient matriarch she has always been.  

Before and After

In a week's time one of our clients created a pair of beautiful ceramic topped tables. When we are making our social visits or simply collecting loans our clients are proud to show off what they have built. The loans provided to these small business owners cover a wide variety of goods and services. This is just but one example of the work our loan recipients do everyday.