Ecmma Ignacio Vera,    Widow, 2 children (ages 20, 12) BUSINESS: Convenience Store  LOCATION: Piura, Peru LOAN HISTORY: First loan, $800 When Ecmma´s husband died several years ago, she was faced with a difficult situation. The family had been scraping by on the income of her husband and her own income as a vendor of jewelry and clothes. When he died, she had to give up her job to care for her children. She decided to open a small store from her home so that she could both provide for her children financially and be at home to care for her youngest child. When she began, her store was very small. She could only afford to purchase a few products for sale, and as a result her sales were very low. With a loan from Eagle Condor, she was able to improve her store by adding a large window in the front – now; she can sell from the window instead of from her front door. This not only makes her store more secure, but it also allows customers to see her products more easily. She also added additional goods and installed a telephone to rent which has provided a low cost way to attract new customers. Although she is still trying to expand and increase her income, Ecmma is grateful that she is now better able to provide for her children while working from home. “Without my loan, none of this would be possible. Eagle Condor gave me the opportunity that I needed at a very difficult time.” Luis Carvallo Cumpa FAMILY׃ Married, 11 children, 13 grandchildren BUSINESS: Shoe Repair LOCATION: Chiclayo, Peru LOAN HISTORY: •    First loan, $250 JOBS CREATED׃ 2 LUIS´S STORY׃ "The first time I set foot in a bank was to make my loan payment." At 84-years-old, Luis still goes to work each day with a smile on his face. He owns a small, outdoor shoe repair stand that he has operated successfully since 2007. Although Luis has been working in the shoe repair business for more than fifty-seven years, due to financial and other difficulties he had to stop for some time.  With a loan of only $250 from Eagle Condor Luis was able to re-open his shop and has once again become self-sufficient, providing for himself and his wife. Luis used his loan to purchase a mechanical grinder that is used to shape and refine the soles of the shoes that he repairs. Before, he had to do all of the filing and shaping by hand. This was not only very time consuming, but it was physically demanding. With the machine, however, Luis is able to complete orders more quickly, and with less strain. Luis has been faithful in paying his loan. “The first time I set foot in a bank was to make my loan payment,” he said.  He proudly reports that in only two months, he will be debt free. “I am grateful to those who, without even knowing me, had confidence in me,” he said. “My goal is to keep working hard, and to keep moving forward.” Maria Custodio Burga FAMILY׃ Divorced, 4 children BUSINESS: Restaurant LOCATION: Monsefú, Chiclayo, Peru LOAN HISTORY: •    First loan, $1600 JOBS CREATED׃ 2 MARIA´S STORY׃ "Before, my life was a disaster economically…" In 2005, Maria was left to raise four young children alone.  Although she had never run her own business, she had always received compliments on her cooking. With some effort, her friends and family convinced her that her cooking was tasty enough to make a business out of it.  She began slowly: first, she brought plates of food to employees of the local health center, who enjoyed the food so much that they asked her to continue.  She found a few other clients but was unable to grow her small business because she did not have adequate equipment or a dining area for her patrons.  With a loan from Eagle Condor, Maria purchased a large freezer, a water tank, and tables, and turned a large room in her home into a dining area.  Now that she has a comfortable space for patrons, her business and clientele has expanded dramatically.  She has even secured a year-long contract with the police department to provide lunch and dinner for on-duty police officers. Now, Maria is known for her delicious, home-cooked meals.  With the help of her daughter who is in culinary school, she continues to expand her menu and improve the appearance of her dishes.  Her restaurant keeps her busy from morning until night, and she is currently looking for additional employees to help with the increased workload.  She also plans to purchase tablecloths, tables, and other decorations that will allow her to cater special events. Maria is very grateful to Eagle Condor for the training and loan that she received.  “Before,” she said, “my life was a disaster economically.  Now, I have independence. . . The loans are helping us achieve success.”   Patricia Cavero Chapoñan FAMILY׃ Married, 1 child (age 2)                  BUSINESS: Pharmacy LOCATION: Pimentel, Chiclayo, Peru LOAN HISTORY: •    First loan, $1300 JOBS CREATED׃ 1 PATRICIA´S STORY׃ "Receiving a loan…was like being given an opportunity." Patricia and her husband have always had the goal of starting their own business, though the young couple doubted that they would have the opportunity anytime soon. Even after saving every cent possible from her job as a nurse, they did not have sufficient money to either start their own business or qualify for a loan. In the meantime, the one and half hour travel time to work, each way, was putting a great strain on the family. By the time Patricia qualified for her loan with Eagle Condor, both she and her husband were without work. “Receiving a loan at that time was like being given an opportunity,” she said.     Patricia opened a small pharmacy in January, 2008, where she has been able to draw on her education and experience as a nurse. However, she had no business experience and relied heavily on the business training that she received before qualifying for her loan. “Before the business workshops, I had no idea where to begin. Eagle Condor helped us develop a business plan that gave us a focus, and taught us how to budget and manage our money. They taught me everything that I know about running a business!” she said. Patricia’s life has changed in significant ways during this year. Before opening their business, Patricia and her husband lived with her in-laws because they could not afford their own housing. “Now, we live independently. We needed to be able to be self-sufficient and to provide for our own family. The loan that I received helped not only me, but my entire family,” she said. “Even though my pharmacy is new and we still have a long way to go, our vision has changed. Now we can see that there is something better in store for us in the future.”