Meet Guadalupe
Based in Houston, Guadalupe is a quintessential Grameen America member. A mother of four, before starting her business, Guadalupe worked for nearly a decade at a reception hall where she was responsible for decorating the venue and customer service.
When the Grameen America Houston branch opened in 2018, Guadalupe was one of the first borrowers to receive a loan for $1,500 to invest in her business. Now, Guadalupe has an electronics store in a shopping mall. She sells electronics, cell phone accessories, and a variety of children’s toys but her most popular product is the karaoke sound system.
With loans from Grameen America, Guadalupe has purchased stock to expand the store’s inventory and has moved the business to a larger storefront. When the store gets busy, Guadalupe now provides part-time work to her close relatives.
“My favorite part of running my business is helping a customer to find what they are looking for and watching them leave with a big smile on their face,” said Guadalupe.
The women at Guadalupe’s weekly center meeting are strongly united—they use word of mouth to recommend member businesses to their community.
“Grameen America opened the door to expand my business quickly through providing access to low interest loans. I am very grateful for the opportunity.”
After repaying her loans each week, Guadalupe saves money for emergencies and towards taking care of her family who remain in El Salvador. Since joining Grameen America, Guadalupe’s credit has substantially improved. Through owning her own business, Guadalupe now has more time to spend with her family and friends.
