Nancy’s New Beginning
"What will I do now?" thought Nancy as she tossed in her bed. She lay awake in the early morning hours filled with a sense of loneliness and heartache. After years of a difficult marriage that produced three beautiful children, her husband had abandoned them.
“I have no money and no family who can help me. My two boys and beautiful little girl need food, clothes medicines and education.” The more Nancy thought about this, the more difficult the future seemed to get.
“Why me? Why do I have to face this future alone without help?” she thought.
The morning sun fell over Peru’s Urubamba Valley and filtered through the cracks of her adobe home. A little later, when the light had flooded the rooms, the children came tumbling onto her bed. They seemed so oblivious to her pain, and yet they were her only hope. She knew right then and there that she had to find a way out.
Cuzco didn’t offer many good paying jobs. Perhaps, she could start her own business—a beauty salon.
She decided she would borrow some hand clippers from a friend, and open a hair salon in a vacant field close to her house. She found some tarp and set up a makeshift shelter. After a few days, the saloon still didn’t look like much, and few people seemed willing to stop for a hair cut. One day three rats ran past the client and started up the chair and both Nancy and the client ran out of the tent screaming at the top of their lungs.
Eventually a visiting neighbor mentioned to Nancy that a small community bank run by ADRA called Las Victoriosas—The Victorious Ladies—was offering loans. In Peru, community banks offer low interest loans to qualified people who cannot get credit through traditional lending institutions. Often the only other option is going to a loan shark that charges excessive interest.
“Why don’t you come with me to the meetings,” asked the neighbor. “You may meet the requirements of the ADRA bank, and even get a loan.”
Nancy went to the next ADRA meeting and found she qualified for a small loan.
“At first I was scared,” said Nancy. “I never had a loan before.”
With the money, Nancy rented a small shop, bought new furniture and equipment. She has since borrowed more than 1,000 soles. She says, “My business has now grown to where I am so busy that I employee two additional hair stylists. In addition, I have opened a second hair styling solon and employ two persons in that business. So now I have four employees.”
No longer does Nancy fear the future. In fact, she says, “My example has inspired the women of my community. They see what I’ve done and are saying ‘if Nancy can do this so can we.’ I want to thank ADRA for making all of this possible.”
Nancy is just one of many women in Peru and around the world that have been helped by ADRA’s community banking programs. The small loans often make big dreams come true. A successful woman can help provide for her family. In addition, it can help the community by adding jobs.
A little can really go a long way.
