Boltaeva’s Story

Boltaeva Zulfuzar is 36 years old and lives in Tajikistan. She is married with 4 children. She started her own business 13 years ago because her husband at that time was unemployed. Zulfuzar sells confectionery such as candies, cookies and pastries in the local market. The generated income allows Zulfuzar to support her family. Zulfuzar dreams of educating all of her children through higher education.

A Persian-speaking outpost in a predominantly Turkic region, Tajikistan is in many ways the odd one out in Central Asia. With its roots in ancient Sogdiana and Bactria, the modern country is a fragile patchwork of clans, languages and identities, forged together by little more than Soviet nation-building and the shared hopes for a peaceful future. That peace was shattered in the 1990s, when a brutal civil war claimed over 50,000 lives, turning the remote mountainous republic into the bloodiest corner of the former Soviet empire. Though the wounds are still raw, a decade after the war most Tajiks are moving forward with their lives, as if awakening from a bad dream, and a mood of guarded optimism has returned.

The good news is that today Tajikistan is safe, stable and scenically spectacular. The Pamirs – ‘the Roof of the World’ – are easily the country’s highlight, offering breathtaking high-altitude scenery, excellent ecotourism options, humbling mountain hospitality

Miryan’s Story

Miryan Kilapi sells corn at the retail level. She currently has $600 in capital. She started her business with $250 in initial capital that had enabled her to buy 15 sacks of cassava in 1978. From then until 1991, her business prospered by increasing the number of sacks to 30, totaling $700 in capital.

In 1991 she underwent surgery which slowed her down and which noticeably diminished her capital to $150. She started up again in 1992 by buying 10 sacks of cassava. from 1992 to 2003, she succeeded in totaling $800 in capital with 22 sacks, of which $300 was unfortunately stolen.

From 2004 to 2008 she diversified her business by adding 12 sacks of corn, which bought her capital to $720. The divorse from her husband, caused by the death of her son in 2005, threw her off balance and resulted in a drop in business. This is why, in 2008, she decided to join one of IMF HOPE community banks called "Rhema".

Odalia’s Story

Ms. Odalia del Carmen Treminio Ruiz is 36 years old, single, living in Nicaragua, and has 3 children who all study. Ms. Odalia’s business is buying and selling clothing. She began this business more than 4 years ago out of the necessity to provide a source of income for her family. Mrs. Odalia’s intention is to provide her customers with the highest quality of clothing. It is for this reason that she asks for a loan, which is specifically intentioned for labor capital. She travels to Managua to search for the highest quality clothing, and her dream is to improve her business each day to completely satisfy her customers.

The Pyapy Mbarete Group

This group was formed a year ago and the majority of the members are new to the business world. The loans have helped give them even more incentive. The group has grown considerably and has been improving in many aspects. You can see the growth and the change of attitude in the women. The group continues to grow and is each member motivated to succeed. Josefina Riveros sells handicrafts. Zulma Gomez sells drink. Cristina Duarte sells food. Rafaela Aguayo sells coal. Maxima Ayala sells fruit. Carmen Navarro sells garlic. Zulma Gamarra has a general store. Andresa Perez is a vendor. Erma Velazquez is employed. Norma Figueredo is a tailor. Cecilia Burgos is a pastry chef. Martina Lopez sells peanuts. Esmeralda Chamorro sells drinks. Mirna Romero sells drinks. Simona Balbuena sells milk. Mirna Servian sells drinks. Margarita Prieto sells fruit. Gloria Villalba sells garlic. Felicia Gimenez has a general store.