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This group is called “San Jose Juan” and consists of four hardworking indigenous women. They are originally from a small town called San Juan Cacahuatepec, which is better known as Cacahuate. One of the traditions of this community is “La Danza de Las Mascaritas” (The Dance of the Little Masks), which is performed on the date of the Carnival celebration.

One of the members of this group is Sra. Luz Maria. She is 30 years old and known as a cheerful, friendly, and respectful woman. Doña Luz is best known among her fellow group members for selling seafood, which she has done for four years. The seafood she sells includes tilapia, sea bass, snapper, and mussels. She also sells fillets and shrimp upon request. Luz is happily married to Sr. Jesús, a hardworking and friendly gentleman who grows corn and works as a bricklayer. They have a son named Jose Antonio, who she says is her motivation to work every day and get stronger. What she enjoys most about her business is being able to sell fish in neighboring towns and talking with the residents. This loan will enable her to buy more fish and shellfish so that she can sell in bulk and in smaller amounts. She is grateful to Fundación Realidad for giving her a hand when she needs it the most.

The other members are as follows:
• Laura sells shoes.
• Efigenia sells chickens.
• Ignacia sells food.
They are also grateful to Fundación Realidad for assisting them as they seek to live meaningful lives in an effort to help their families.

clearly I haven’t been keeping up w 43 things. I’m almost done with this program. It’s expensive, but life-changing, and life-affirming.

Diana is a very charismatic woman; she’s the mother of a little one-year-old who she adores very much and is her joy and motivator to get ahead because by just looking at him she realizes how much he means to her and this is why she strives so hard to make him happy.

Her house is located in the city of Ica, a city noted for its hot climate all year as well as for agriculture, especially cotton, grapes and asparagus growing. When Diana has any free time she likes listening to music especially alongside her baby because she makes him dance in her arms. She also likes to enjoy one of her favorite dishes, the very delicious “Lomo Saltado.”

With much effort and saving Diana managed to start her business selling clothes and hamburgers at home. She works about 9 hours daily and can see up to 15 customers per day. She believes that she does well in her business because God is always with her.

Diana is very grateful to Kiva lenders because thanks to the help they’ve given her she will be able to buy merchandise for her business, especially women’s clothes for Mother’s Day and also to buy bottles of oil, rice, jars of mustard and ketchup that will make it possible for her to have a greater variety of products and to have the ingredients necessary to make hamburgers leading to improved income to continue striving toward making her dream a reality: “To have her own locale.”