María Rafaela Salazar

 Maria Rafaela Espinal lives in the village of Los Pinos.  Maria is happily married with three daughters.  Her husband works hard but has an illness that has kept him from consistent work over the years. Maria is a local church member, and we first met Maria through the work of Torch Missions when Maria and her family were living with Maria's mother. They had a piece of land but had trouble saving money to build their own homes.  Mark Connell's Torch group was able to build them a concrete block house. Maria began training at the Mi Esperanza house as part of our sewing class. Maria wanted to gain a skill she would be able to use to help her family with consistent income. Maria quickly rose to the top of the class as one of our best students. She was eager to learn and was always in class.  Maria graduated with her class and was asked to stay on and take the second level of training because of her skill and ability. Maria is very grateful for the opportunities Mi Esperanza has given her and many women of "low levels of opportunity" She is particularly grateful for what these opportunities will mean to her girls.

Participatiing in a Mi Esperanza uniform project.  2013 

All smiles in class.   2004

Second level graduation day 2006

Learning to make patterns in her level one class.  2005

Level one graduation day with two of her daughters 2005

María at a glance

• Children: 3

• Community: Los Pinos

• Mi Esperanza Course: Sewing levels 1 and 2, Personal Skills

Updates

October 2013

The most recent photo of Maria was taken when she participated in a uniform project Mi Esperanza was hired to do.  Maria and her family are doing well.  Maria continues to support her family, her husband is disabled.  Her daughters are continuing their education, and the walls of poverty continue to break down.  

Maria "The Tortilla Lady"

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 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 expand her business ever since. Maria now makes 2500 tortillas a day and has built a room in her home with a large adobe oven to cook her tortillas. She begins at 6 am each morning cooking and then travels during the late morning to stores that buy her tortillas.  Maria now makes $25 a day. Maria applied, received a second loan, and opened a pulperia (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

Maria signing her loan contract

Maria leaving her village to sell her tortillas

Maria in her store

Emelina Alvarez

"After participating in Mi Esperanza's Beauty Class, I started working at a Beauty Salon called "Salon de Belleza Maine", at Barrio La Ronda (Downtown). My schedule is from Monday thru Saturday, 7:00 am - 6:00 pm. I have worked there for three years now, and appreciate my job and believe Mi Esperanza opened the door for this job opportunity.

Co-founder Lori Connell visiting with Emelina at Maine Salon. 2013

2013..Emelina at work

Emelina at her station at Maine Salon 2012

Emelina and Lori during our 2012 visit

Emelina recently came for a visit to the Mi Esperanza center. 11-2010

Emelina cutting hair during her training at Mi Esperanza

“This has not only helped me economically, but emotionally. It has built my self-esteem, by discovering I am capable of being productive and independent. ”

I am grateful to have an excellent boss that has taught me new things and has been very supportive and trusts me."

Emelina at a glance

• Children: 1

• Community: Santa Cecilia

• Mi Esperanza Course: Belleza/Beauty Class 2006 & Personal Skills 2006