Micro-credits for Baru Island entrepreneurs

A GOOD COMPLEMENT

We arrived at Ariel’s house the agreed day. We were welcomed by Edith, his wife, who told us that Ariel would arrive shortly. He had gone out for a minute.

Immediately, Edith pulled out us a chair and without asking served us delicious lemonade in a simple disposable glass with a straw cut in half.

At 11:45 am the costumers started to arrive. The menu of the day was rib soup and oil rice. The costumers asked Edith for one, two, three lunches, that she served generously.

While attending customers, she told us that the business was going very well. Just at that time Ariel came in, a little nervous he shacked hands with us and sat down. We asked him how this year had been for him, his family and his business and he immediately and confidently replied: excellent! He told us then that one of his daughters was about to graduate from high school and that he had been able to pay for his other daughter’s professional career without problems.

He told us that before they started the business, he worked as a waiter in Cartagena. Some hotels and private events called him sporadically, but one day he decided to try his luck in Baru as someone that worked with him told him about the island. That is how he settled in Santa Ana, about four years ago and began to sell juices.

Then he met Edith, his wife and partner, who already sold lunches and that is how, lunches and juices began to be sold together. As we speak, Edith did not stay still, she continues to serve lunchs, fold clothes and sell mainly sweets in their small Candy sale in which they invest when they received the credit.

Ariel and Edith are a couple that reflect peace. They are satisfied with their business and life. Every day at 7:00 am they open their business. In addition to lunch, they sell dinners. Sometimes there are so many customers that they work until 10:00 pm. In September, they finished paying for the loan they received. They always paid on time.

We wish them success and that their business continues to grow and be very prosperous.