During our last visit of August 2004, we were able to observe the growth in responsibility of many men in El Triunfo. These men, head of families, approached us requesting loans to start small businesses or to better their living conditions. After appropriate assessments of their potential success and commitment, we decided to promote family integration that shows the father and mother as working together to build the family. Prior to this, as you remember, we had only worked with women. Now, the children see that the fathers and mothers are responsible and work together. This, we feel, is a good example for the children, an opportunity to build family unity, and a way for the children to have a positive father role model.. During this visit, we provided the following loans to families. Loan will be provided at 2% annual interest and are payable on a monthly basis. The treasurer, Mrs. Maria Elena Nufio and her daughter Flor are in charge of collecting payments.
At my return to the United States, I shared the need for family integration to various friends of the Guatemalan Project and placed this information in my Report from Guatemala 2005. Ms. More and Ms. Catania inmediately sponsored two families. Mr. Evorio Genis and Mr. Jose Castro began their enterprises right away.
The Casa Luca Foundation, Inc. has been very generous with their donations. The family responsible for the Casa Luca Foundation have three children. The first two children, for whom the Casa Luca is named, are very active in the field of education. Their third child, Ethan is part of our effort of working with providing micro enterprises opportunities to the families in El Triunfo. The family of the Casa Luca foundation is committed to the economic and social development of all families in El Triunfo. We are most grateful for their support.
The following families in El Triunfo have been granted micro enterprise loans by various donors. If you wish to sponsor a family with a micro enterprise loan, please contact us .
Mr. Evorio Genis sells ice cream and has become a distributor. A $400.00 loan enabled Mr. Evorio Genis to purchase a freezer where he now keeps 16 boxes of ice cream. Prior to this, he had to travel to Gualan to pick up one box of ice cream to sell. Now, he has his own freezer, he bought 16 boxes of ice cream, he distributes three boxes to another three men in El Triunfo who began to sell ice cream on their own. Each man determined his own route where he goes to sell along the nearby villages. At night, the men return to El Triunfo, where they live, and store the remaining ice cream, if any, in Mr. Genis’ freezer. This loan was sponsored by Ms. Lilliam More.
Mr. Evorio Genis and two other persons now engaged in the employment of selling ice cream.
Mr. Evorio Genis and his children.
Mr. Rolando Gonzalez Peres workds as a bicycle-repair man. A $660.00 loan enabled Mr. Rolando Gonzalez Perez to start his own bicycle-repair shop. Mr. Gonzalez had worked as a mechanic in the past and has always wanted to have his own shop. He purchased a few basic tools, made a small covered room next to his house, and began to rebuild and repair bicycles. We wish him well. We will try to collect used bicycles, which we will put apart and send to Mr. Gonzalez to repair and sell to the children and persons of El Triunfo at a good price. This loan was sponsored by Ethan.
Sign placed by Mr. Rolando Gonzalez in front of his house advertising his bicycle repair business. Below, you can observe some of his tools.
Two families began pig and chicken farms. Mr. Victor Vividor and Mr. Rudy Mendez both obtained loans of $660.00 to build cement structures to keep up to eight pigs in very clean conditions. These men purchased piglets and chickens, and the necessary nutritional food recommended by the agriculture department in Gualan to feed their animals during their period of growth. It is hoped that, in six months, the piglets will be big enough for sale; two will be used as studs, hopefully multiplying their farm. chickens will be sold after three months. These loans were sponsored by Ethan.
Mr. Victor Vividor tending to his piglets.
These are some of the pigs belonging to Mr. Rudy Mendez.
Mr. Juan de Dios Diaz Ramirez obtained a $65.00 loan to purchase vegetables in season. Mr. Diaz Ramirez will sell the vegetables at the market in Gualan. This loan was sponsored by Ethan.
Two families needed to do house improvements: Mr. Elder Ramirez and Mr. Jesus Garcia y Garcia obtained loans of $120.00 to purchase zinc planks to cover their houses. Their one-room houses were covered with palm leaves and straw, which allowed too much water to drip into their rooms. This loan was sponsored by Ethan.
Mr. Jose Castro is now employed as welder. He obtained a $660.00 to purchase welding tools, iron rods, and other materials necessary for him to start a welder shop in El Triunfo. Mr. Castro constructs doors, window protection bars, and other articles made with iron and used in or around the house. Mr. Castro also fixes doors, hinges, etc. We wish him and his family well. This loan is sponsored by the Catania Family.
Below you can observe some of the tools purchased by Mr. Castro and the environment in which he works. Mr. Castro is getting ahead and he is grateful for the opportunity to work at what he likes to do.
The Gutierrez-Pineda family received $660.00 to raise pigs. Mr. Eliseo Gutierrez purchased four piglets and all the food, vitamins, and medicines needed to raise healthy pigs for the entire year. His wife Mrs. Norma Pineda travels daily to Gualan to purchase fresh baked bread which she then sells in El Triunfo and nearby villages. This loan is sponsored by Ethan.
Mr. Marvin Gutierrez and his new wife Ana obtained $375.00 to build their one-room house. Mr. Gutirrez works in Gualan as a bricklayer.. This loan is sponsored by Ethan.
THERE ARE MANY MORE FAMILIES ON THE LIST TO RECEIVE LOANS. YOU MAY WANT TO MAKE THESE DREAMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COME
PLEASE CONTACT US
There are more families waiting for loans. If you wish to know about them, please click here.
