When the walls come down...

The story of Doña Reina Ortiz has appeared on this blog before. She continues to work hard to sell her product, but sales at the super market chains have slowed, as has her loan repayment. Ms. Ortiz is becoming even more dependent or her less profitable sales to smaller clients like bookstores and street venders.

Since early May, the rainy season has added another challenge to completing her dream. Like most people in her neighborhood, a retaining wall prevents her home from falling on her neighbors' home next door. The heavy rains during this month were enought to damage part of the old retaining wall and put her home's foundation close to the edge.

Doña Reina was forced to invest all her working capital into the construction of a new retaining wall. She now must struggle to build up her business again.

The use of "business funds" for personal expenses is common in microfinance businesses. Since many businesses operate out of the owners home, as is the case in Doña Reina's case, cash is not often designated to be used for "business" or "personal" expenses.

Alfredo and Rafael, two Honduran businessmen, are mentoring Ms. Ortiz and looking for ways to help her increase sales. With the Lord's help and the encouragement from her mentors, Doña Reina will soon be talking about God's faithfulness back when, the walls were coming down.

In her own words... Marina Mejia

The following is the story of the owner of a member business who works with Partners Worldwide through the local affiliate Diaconia Nacional:

I am Elvia Marina Mejia and I was born on May 3, 1958, in San Francisco de la Paz, Olancho, Honduras, but I now live in the Nueva Suyapa neighborhood in Tegucigalpa. As a teenager I immigrated to Tegucigalpa to secure a better future for my family and more specifically for my younger siblings. I worked washing clothes and cleaning homes for other people.

I had seven children but sometimes when you're young you make mistakes. I ended up at the women's prison where I learned to do many productive things like crafts and sewing. I decided that when I got out of there, I would continue doing the activities that I was learning.

I was released for good behavior before completing the time that my sentence stipulated and started saving to buy my first machine. I began work purchasing cloth by the pound to produce bed sheet sets. I sold my work in my community, but life was very difficult because my seven children were still young and there were many expenses. But I always kept going.

I knew I could do my job better but needed working capital to buy better quality fabrics and machinery. I wondered if anyone would trust me in spite of my background. I decided to knock on the door of Diaconia Nacional. They realized that I am a hard working woman and that I have not stopped working since I had the legal problem.

I have involved my family in my business. I elaborate the product with my younger children and my mom sells them in the community where she lives. I also partner with my daughter in the sale of general merchandise. I also have my customers in several communities of Olancho, where I travel every month.

In many of these communities there is lack of money, so I barter and sell my products in exchange for produce like yuca, oranges, and bananas. When I return to Tegucigalpa, I sell the produce. When I am in the communities, I see which fruits and vegetables are in season and I call my daughter who asks around in Tegucigalpa to see where there is demand. When I return to Tegucigalpa we already have orders for the coconuts or whatever I am transporting and we only have to deliver the produce and collect the cash.

I did not know what this was called until I attended the training workshops that Diaconia offers and I learned that this is called VALUE ADDED. I've learned a lot of skills in the workshops that I have attended and I want to continue learning for my business.

I am grateful to Diaconia Nacional for believing in me and training me. I hope that they continue to support me because in the future I want to improve my business and to develop other product lines because I also want to make my house a little safer and more beautiful.

Diaconia Nacional helped me purchase a special sewing machine which had been a dream for me. They also supported me in the purchase of high quality fabrics.

Bob Reed

Partners Worldwide is sadden by the death of Bob Reed. Bob was the husband of Renita Reed, working with Partners Worldwide in Africa. Bob worked for CRWRC. Please be in prayer for Renita and her family. On their blog there is more information about Bob's life.

A Life Rededicated to the Lord

For the past two years, the publicity firm of Visión Creativa (Creative Vision) has been growing. Owner Erick Alvarado’s quality work and personalized customer service have helped to attract new clients and maintain his previous customers in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. Mr. Alvarado has also diversified his product line through the acquisition of new equipment and design software, partially financed through a loan from Partners Worldwide affiliate Diaconia Nacional. Visión Creativa was experiencing great success, but Erick recently discovered the missing component in his life.

In February, Erick attended the Partners Worldwide Latin America Conference. Following the morning sessions on the first day of the conference, Mr. Alvarado found a group of business members of Diaconia Nacional and began brainstorming about how they could help affiliate businesses grow.

“We can create a website that lists the products and services offered for each member business in our affiliate,” explained Erick. “With increased publicity and a platform for affiliate members to learn about each other, the businesses can grow.”

The conference had opened Erick’s eyes to a new opportunity: business mentoring. Erick had received such mentoring from North American business owners during their visits to Honduras, but now he saw how he could mentor small business owners in Honduras.

Erick’s new interest in serving others was not the only positive result from the conference. The Sunday after the conference Erick woke up early to go to church and received a warm greeting from old friends.

“For the past two years I have not attended church,” explains Erick. “I never imagined that the conference would have filled me with such joy and that it could have been such a blessing to my life. When I returned to church, everyone said, ‘There is Erick, we have not seen him for two years.’ During the worship service I rededicated my life to the Lord.”

Erick paid off his loan in December but he says that he now has a larger debt to Partners Worldwide and Diaconia Nacional. Thanks to the business mentoring, the conference and the work of his local church, Erick has found the missing component in his life and now looks to serve others. As he put it, “Whenever there is another conference or opportunity to train others, just tell me the day and the time and I will be there!”

Story of Mr. Manuel de Jesus Romero

I am Manuel de Jesus Romero Hernandez and I have live in Catacamas, Olancho. About 15 years ago I started building my carpenter workshop by acquiring machinery little by little. Finally, I decided to work in the United States for a while to be able to equip my workshop. After purchasing some equipment, I returned to Honduras to continue my business but here in Honduras it is a bit difficult to receive a loan.

I spoke with my daughter who was a member of a microfinance small loan group of Diaconia Nacional and she told me that they could help me with my business. I approached the office and they politely explained the loan requirements, visited my business, and in a timely manner, approved my first loan.

That was 3 years ago and today, I continue to work with Diaconia Nacional. I'm very happy with the services offered, the personal attention, but most importantly, that we can count on them to solve our problems.

For me Diaconia is part of my family, both the donors and the employees. Their treatment is like that of a brother to brother. Thanks to God and to Diaconia, I was able to meet the goals that I had for my business, my family, and my personal life.

Loans helped me improve and equip my business while also generating employment. The training workshops have helped me to better manage my business, but also they have helped me become a better person each day with God's help.

I am very content to be able to work in the workshop with three of my children who are taking evening classes in the university. "The business has transformed our family, and it is with great satisfaction that we continue working at Romero Family Carpentry.”

Prayers for Haiti

Earlier today, staff of organizations that work with Partners Worldwide in Honduras took time during their morning staff devotions to pray for Haiti. Some staff commented on the poverty in Honduras and how it is hard to imagine living in a country with more poverty, crime, political conflicts and now this earthquake. We are especially praying for the safety and protection of Partnership Manager Daniel Jean-Louis in Port-au-Prince.

Boots on the Ground in Honduras

By Rudy Carasco

TEGUCIGALPA – On Sunday afternoons, thousands of Hondurans and foreigners visit El Picacho National Park. Beautifully designed gardens, open spaces for families, and playgrounds dot the crestline road to the park’s most famous feature, a statue of Christ that rises above the city.

After taking in the sights from the base of the monument, the constant stream of humanity ducks into a nearby souvenir shop owned and operated by a woman named Elizabeth. A few years ago, Elizabeth expanded this business through a loan from a Partners Worldwide affiliate.

Today that loan has been repaid, and Elizabeth’s shop is thriving. But Elizabeth is thinking about more than just her own enterprise.

In November, she met with a group of Honduran Christian businesspeople to discuss the expansion of a network of mentors who have a two-fold purpose:To help small and medium sized businesses to grow, and to encourage business owners to live out their faith in every aspect of their business. “Loans alone can’t transform a person. People need Christ,” said one business owner. Elizabeth, and the other attendees, agreed.

The affiliates of Partners Worldwide in Honduras all integrate Christian faith with the vital work of job creation and jobs maintenance.

Ministerios Cristianos de Mayordomía (MCM) offers a private Christian school, health and dental services, and youth intervention along with small business loans. Carlos Hernandez, director of MCM, emphasizes that the impact of the loan programs goes beyond the bottom line of the businesses.

“100% of the children of partners with loans are studying, many in the university,” Hernandez says. These results are impressive coming out of Nueva Suyapa, a community of 50,000 with limited civic infrastructure and high rates of unemployment and under education.

At Diaconia Nacional, 150 small business loans and over 600 microcredit group loans (loans made to individuals and secured by a small group of peers) are active. Diaconia started 23 years ago and Elizabeth is among their loan program success stories.

Diaconia’s long-standing presence underscores the need for “patient” capital. Caspar Geisterfer, head of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee in Honduras, observes, “Most North Americans aren’t patient enough to walk alongside [people and communities]. We like results, and we like positive results, and we are not patient enough to simply walk alongside people as they do things for themselves.”

The patience needed for growing small businesses among the poor will indeed bear fruit – witness Elizabeth’s growth from loan recipient to small business mentor.

Around the globe, Partners Worldwide is blessed to work with thousands of entrepreneurs like Elizabeth and works to give witness to Christ by growing small and medium sized businesses among people in need. This would not be possible without your support. Thank you!

From Transformations Winter 2009