Isabel is a proud mother of five children. She lives in Ojo de Agua in the highlands of Guatemala.

Isabel didn’t have the opportunity to attend school, but she understood the immense importance of education and wanted that for her children. But she knew it would take hard work for her to be able to afford to send her children to school. She and her husband were able to get together enough money to have her trained by an expert local artisan but she didn’t yet have a loom or any materials to make her new skill profitable.

As a newly skilled weaver, she wanted to be able to contribute to her family’s income, which wasn’t very stable or consistent. She was able to work hard enough to save just enough money to finally buy her own loom and caught the attention of a business who hired her to create weavings for them. But she dreamed of owning her own business. She was able to teach her husband and children how to operate the loom, but with just one loom, it wasn’t enough to build a business. 

That’s when Agros entered the picture. Diego, a credit manager from Agros, visited Ojo de Agua and shared about the Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund and the program that would provide her the opportunity to buy another loom with a loan. She applied and saw so much success with the second loom, she was able to pay off the first loan and apply for another… Her family now owns three looms!

Isabel’s gratitude knows no bounds; her life has transformed beyond her wildest dreams. Before, they struggled to put food on the table, to afford gas for their stove. Their children sometimes went without meals. Now, they have the means to provide for their family’s basic needs. If her children ask for something to eat, there’s always something to offer. 

It hasn’t been a walk in the park, and each day brings new challenges, but the journey has been worth every moment. Just three months ago, Isabel welcomed a new baby girl into her family. She knows that her youngest, baby Candelaria, will have a vastly different upbringing compared to her older children. Isabel can now provide for her children and care for her baby while working from home. It’s a family affair, with both mom and dad actively involved in raising their precious Candelaria. 

Isabel’s dreams continue to soar. She envisions a bigger business, one where they can “cut the middleman” and handle the entire production process as a family. This dream includes buying threads themselves, weaving them into beautiful fabrics, and crafting local clothing for sale. The goal is to create a thriving family business, and it’s a monumental dream.

The next step is another loan to help grow her business, buy more thread and materials, and eventually establish a self-sustaining business to help her family thrive! Isabel’s story is not unique – there are over 1,000 women whose lives have been bettered thanks to the interventions that Agros is able to provide with your support.

Help even more families move from a place of hardship and limited prospects to blossom into thriving entrepreneurs. Your support today will build entire communities!

Make a GivingTuesday gift today and share your generosity with families who are dreaming of leaving poverty behind forever.