By Ana Milena Ordosgoitia Mendez | Project leader
Dear Donors,
Our fifth report will consist on Victor’s story, one of our credit beneficiaries. We would like to tell you about him, his life, how and why he started his business, how the project you have supported have impacted his life and his business and what are his plans going forward.
About Víctor
Víctor was born on 1990; His parents separated when he was 1 year old.
His mother then worked as a cook on a farm. After 6 years, she met Victor’s stepdad and his 2 brothers and sister were born.
His mother and stepfather raised him, both of which are merchandisers. His stepfather works selling seafood cocktails at the beach and his mother sells food at the beach.
Victor is single; he lives with his parents, one brother and one sister.
He went to school at Luis Felipe Cabrera’s institution in Barú, were he finished tenth grade. When he was in eight grade he studied in the night because his mother was sick and his family needed him to support them, so he started working with an uncle. He didn’t graduate because the school haven’t open eleventh grade in the night.
When Victor was born, he had a disease on one eye. At the age of eighteen he had surgery. He recovered a little vision but he was told he couldn’t run or have too much physical activity. This has been difficult for him because he loved playing soccer.
¿When, how and why did the business started?
The business started when his stepdad went to work for a short time to Margarita Island (in Venezuela), selling handcrafts. When he came back with his savings he bought one refrigerator.
One of his mom’s cousins that worked selling fish wanted to help them; she lent them fish so that they could start.
Then, his mother saved her own capital and started buying fish for the family business.
On the other hand, Victor started working with an uncle, that taught him how to make seafood cocktails. As we said before, he started working when his mother got sick and the family needed to improve their income.
After a while, Victor became independent (selling cocktails at the beach) and started selling fish and seafood with her mother at home.
After two years he realized he needed to invest in his business in order to grow it.
Then, he heard about our project and he decided to apply for credit in order to buy a new refrigerator and more products to sell.
The Project’s impact
Victor received a $2.500.000 loan, which he invested in a refrigerator and in fish and seafood.
When we asked him about how the project has impacted him, he textually said:
“Everything has been good. Counseling has taught me how to increase the money. I learned to handle expenses. Before, we took out a lot of money to pay for services. Today we have a bike, two wheelbarrows, one boat and so we have been reducing expenses”.
Victor told us, during the assessments he realized that he was paying for a lot of services in order to sell his products. He paid for the transportation of the products from the port to their house. This is why they (he and his parents) bought two wheelbarrows. He used to pay about $50.000 to go to Cartagena to buy fish. Since they (he and his parents) bought the motorcycle, they are saving $30.000. He used to pay for the transportation of the fish and the seafood to the beach. Now they (his parents and him) have their own little boat.
When we asked him about the impact of the project in their lives, he textually answered:
“It has taught us to be organized and save money. Also to be responsible.”
What are his plans going forward
"I want my family to succeed and to become professionals. I want to be a professional; I'm waiting for the night school".
Thanks to all of you, to your constant support, the project has really impacted Victor and his family’s life.
For us in the Hernán Echavarría Foundation, it has been a great opportunity to learn from him and his family. His desire to succeed and to improve his quality of life, are an incentive for us to keep working.
We invite you to continue to work with us in order to achieve our total funding goal of $10,490.
With gratitude,
Ana Milena Ordosgoitia M. and the Hernán Echavarría Olózaga Foundation team
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