 | Loan clients: Isidro Galo Cruz, 48; Purificacion Elias, 62;
Luis Esaula, 59; and Juan Palacios, 65
Location: El Sitio, Honduras
Family: The farmers have a combined total of 28 children. Eight are in school. The rest are of working age.
Work history: After receiving agricultural and business training from World Vision, the farmers formed a cooperative and began growing sweet potatoes. They then switched to plantains, and found them to be more profitable.
Type of loan: Agricultural group loan
Loan use:
• $1,100 per farmer to grow sweet potatoes
• $1,700 per farmer to grow plantains
Income after first loan: $1,662 per farmer
Income after second loan: $3,525 per farmer
Living standards: The increased income from the plantains has, for instance, allowed Isidro to make improvements to his home, cover educational expenses for his children, and purchase medicine for his son, Yerlin (pictured). The other farmers have enjoyed
similar gains.
Future plans: The men seek to obtain additional loans to increase the amount of cultivated land from 3.5 acres to more than 12 acres. This will enable them to take full advantage of a stable water supply, grow plantains year-round, and meet the local demand for plantains.
Perspective on enterprise: "Generally speaking, we are very happy, because we have begun to receive offers from three companies: Industrias Sula, Tropical Yojoa, and Chiquita Brand," said Juan Palacios. "We would never be able to produce and have what we have now, if it weren’t for the fact of having access to credit." |
