Here is the update on the loans that we have made:
At 28, Mr. Prospčre KPETEKA is an energetic and devoted young man. He is a married father of three who also takes care of his two younger brothers. When he could no longer afford to go to school, he began work as a cassava grater, working either at home or in cassava fields. Now he has totally paid off his equipment, but it is constantly breaking down, at the same time that demand is rising.
He is thus requesting a loan of $900 to buy a new, better quality grater in order to better satisfy his customers. This will allow him to increase his earnings and to meet his family's needs.
Sieraseta has been a member of the SPBD Program for two years. She is married and has two children.
Although her husband is a policeman and earns a steady income, Sieraseta still works hard to bring in the extra income that can raise her family’s standard of living and provide her children a good education.
She knows how to weave in the traditional Samoan fashion, and she leverages this talent to weave mats and bags and other items. She spends the bulk of her days at the flea market selling her products. Locals and tourists alike buy her wares.
Loaning funds to Sieraseta would help her purchase raw materials for weaving.
Tina Sio is 51 years old. She believes that, regardless of age, she still has the potential to build more decorated cement posts. She is a very independent lady. Although two of her children work, she does not want to rely on them. She prefers to have a business of her own. Tina earns good money from her small business, and she is looking forward to working closely with SPBD. She has applied for another loan to improve and extend her business based on a great demand from her usual customers. She will use the loan to purchase materials
Visitasia uses seashells from the shore for her jewelry business. With the help of SPBD, she was able to buy tools to carve and design different sizes of earrings. Other ladies in the program taught her how to make this jewelry. This was her first loan and her first time to do this kind of business. She is a good learner and she was able to earn more money from this craft. Everyday is a learning experience for her as she gathers more ideas from the other ladies of the program in how to be successful in her business. She chose this type of business is because she likes the creativity and it is profitable. She is requesting a second loan so she can increase her stock and income.
Matele is a 41 year old married mother who operates a handicrafts business, a talent that she has had since a very young age. She has chosen to make good use of her ability to set up a business to further improve her family’s standard of living.
Matele chooses good quality but cheap traders of wood to create her masterpieces, which she sells to the local markets and individuals. Her number one customers are tourists and Samoans traveling overseas who purchase her wares as souvenirs.
Mr. Bernadino has a carpentry workshop where he makes all sorts of wooden furniture. He has been using the same equipment for the past 3 years and says "I ask you to please help me buy new machinery to make furniture, because the old one is really hard to work with, it is almost becoming almost obsolete. I believe I can buy new equipment with $1,200."
Mr. Rodríguez has been serving his community for 10 years selling goods at his grocery store. Along with his wife, Mr. Rodríguez takes care of the store and says, "I opened this grocery store with the help of my wife after I retired. We need to keep it well supplied because it is our only source of income. This is way we are asking for a $1,000 loan."
Elena is married and has 5 children (eldest is 14 years, youngest is 4 months). They have a family business. Her husband has been working in their restaurant since he was 20 years old. Now he is 45. Besides this business, they produce cheese and ice cream.
She used her first loan to purchase the premises for their store at the local market. Now she leases it. She plans to use her next loan to extend their restaurant and establish a summer cafe.
Abduvali has run a carpenter shop for over 5 years. His elder son helps him, and he has two assistants. In the shop, they make window frames and doors. He used his first loan to purchase construction materials. He sells them in his own shop. Abduvali has 4 children and 7 grandchildren. His elder son graduated the institute (faculty of physics) and another son still studies at the institute. Abduvali has been working to help all his children to graduate and support their families.