Maria "The Tortilla Lady"
Lori Connell
Maria “The Tortilla Lady” is a story of hope. Maria was one of the first six micro-credit loan recipients in 2002. When she came to us she had a small tortilla business she wanted to expand. She was making 200 tortillas a day and selling them for one or two dollars a day. With her first loan from the Mi Esperanza program, she expanded her business and has continued to expand her business ever since. Maria now makes 2500 tortillas a day and has built a room onto her home with a large adobe oven to cook her tortillas. She begins at 6am each morning cooking and then travels during the late morning to stores that buy her tortillas. Maria now makes $25 a day, which is comparable to most doctors in the country.
Maria at a glance
- Marital Status: Married
- Children: 3
- Community: Sector Ocho
- Mi Esperanza Course: Micro-credit recipient
