CHRF -MICRO ENTERPRISES


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WHAT WE DO MICRO-ENTERPRISE

MICRO-ENTERPRISE SUCCESS STORIES

As a mother of four, could you make ends meet on a dollar a day?
Neither can she!

Rachael, a single 24-year-old single mom with three children and one on the way works 15 hour days, making less than a dollar a day. She had no other option but to live this grueling lifestyle. If she stopped, her children would go hungry.

Desperate to find another way, Rachael found hope at a local church that was operated by one of our project directors. The pastor listened to her situation and then explained about the micro-enterprise program. One visit transformed Rachael’s life.

Working in a restaurant most of her life and her love of cooking, gave Rachael the skills to start her own buffet-style restaurant. After a little training, she developed a business plan and completed all the necessary steps to begin her own business.

Rachael still works hard, waking at 4:00 a.m. to go to the farmers market to get all her food for the day, then preparing 12 different dishes. However now she has a thriving business that benefits the community and provides her own family with food, clothes and shelter. Rachael has completely paid back the loan and has applied for another one so that she can start another business.

Helping a poor family start a business doesn’t take much, but it is one of the most powerful things we can do to break the cycle of poverty. For just $100, you can help other deserving mothers like Rachael start their own small business and lead them on their way to self-sufficiency.

Mi Viejo Ranchito
(A Nicaraguan Restaurant)

Started with a small micro-enterprise loan from Children’s Hunger Relief Fund some years ago, Mi Viejo Ranchito was already a successful roadside stand when the owners decided to expand into a full-service restaurant. Having demonstrated their business skills with the success of their first venture, the principals were granted another loan for $3,000 to construct a private parking lot for customers. Once this loan was paid back, they applied for and received another $2,000 loan for the expansion of their dining facilities, including the launching of two smaller restaurants. With the rapid success of these smaller restaurants, they are now planning to open four more. All loans (plus interest) have been paid in full and are now available for other small businesses.

Mi Viejo Ranchito now supports 20 employees during the week and more than 30 on weekends. The restaurant is considered one of the best Nicaraguan restaurants in Managua.

Luis Flores
(commercial contractor and youth advocate)

Luis Flores graduated with an engineering degree and a passion to help rebuild his war-shattered country through his construction business. However, before he could bid on projects, he needed to be bonded. Although Flores had the motivation and skills, he lacked the large cash deposit to meet the minimum legal requirements.

The Board of Children’s Hunger Relief Fund took a daring new step; they advanced Flores the money required for bonding.

Flores’ first job of building a small school and a road for the government was completed successfully, employing many people. Altogether Flores has received and paid back six loans totaling $5,000. The funding of his successful construction company has created jobs for more than 60 people and provides support for 300 families.

Flores was contracted to build several new police stations. In a desire to give back to the community, he hired youth street gang members to work as unskilled manual laborers on his projects. The security guards expressed concern when the heavily tattooed gang members arrived for work, but Flores knew that all these gang members wanted was an opportunity to work. He was right, and the gang member’s own leader led the others in disciplined hard work — turning their energies from crime to productivity and toward rebuilding their nation.