Meet Patricia Amalia Lopez Ugalde

Patricia has been divorced from her husband for some time. She receives a pension, but, like many mothers in this country, she wants to give a better life to her 4 small ones. She believes that, if she is a strong and hard-working woman, her children will follow her example.

She started her business 2 years ago. First she helped another woman work, but, since a year ago, she has had her own business selling clothing and novelties.

I invested $25 in Patricia's business and 16 other investors contributed similar amounts. Together, we've invested $500 dollars so that Patricia can buy more display racks and lighting for her store. Over the next 6 months, she'll repay the loan and I can either get my money back or invest in someone else. Stay tuned for updates on Patricia's expanding business!

If you're inspired by Patricia's story and would like to help other business owners of the world's working poor, visit Kiva.org today.