Maria "The Tortilla Lady"
Lori Connell
Maria “The Tortilla Lady” is a story of hope. Maria was one of the first six recipients of micro-credit loans in 2002. When she came to us, she had a small tortilla business she wanted to expand. She made 200 tortillas daily and sold them for one or two dollars daily. With her first loan from the Mi Esperanza program, she expanded her business and has continued to do so ever since. Maria now produces 2,500 tortillas a day and has built a room in her home with a large adobe oven to cook them. She begins at 6 am each morning, cooking, and then travels to stores that buy her tortillas during the late morning. Maria now makes $25 a day. Maria applied, received a second loan, and opened a pulperia (a small village store) in her home. With two sources of income, she built a concrete duplex on her property and now has rental income in addition to her tortilla business and store. The financial opportunities she received from Mi Esperanza changed her financial future and brought stability to her family.
Maria at a glance
Children: 3
Community: Sector Ocho
Mi Esperanza Course: Micro-credit recipient
