Back in March Holstee made its first micro-loan through Kiva. Our first loan was made to
Aura Elena Gutierrez Toledo, in Managua, Nicaragua.
Here is a bit of background on Aura from her Kiva page:
“Aura is 48 years old, and she lives in Villa Libertad with her four children, ages 2, 5, 16 and 20. She is in the business of selling clothes and cosmetics on credit as well as for direct payment. She started her business eighteen years ago with her own money and help from her husband. With the loan she will invest in school clothes, school supplies and cosmetics. This is her sixth request. Her previous requests have greatly benefited her business as well as her personal life. With this loan she hopes to improve sales and gain more customers. Buying uniforms is a priority for students, so her short term plans are to invest more in them.”
Seeing the large smile on Aura’s face in this photo makes it hard not to want to contribute. Gaining our roots in fashion, we though our first loan would be best spent investing in the development of clothing in the developing world, while helping Aura support her family.
