Vilmas Sono is a 25-year-old fruit and vegetable vendor based in Piura, a city in northwestern Peru. She is a client of our new microfinance partner, Cooperativa Santa Isabel. Vilmas is married and the mother of two young children, ages six and one (see photo).
We met Vilmas in June, during a visit to the local market arranged by a loan officer from Santa Isabel. Quiet and reserved, Vilmas originally comes from a small mountain community in the Piura region. She began selling in the market four and a half years ago to support her growing family. “The best part is that I can have my kids with me while I’m working,” she says with a shy smile.
The loan officer explains that people from the mountains are known for being hardworking, though not very talkative. He recalls being initially hesitant to lend to a 22-year-old when Vilmas first applied for a loan three years ago. “But she came highly recommended by another trusted client of Santa Isabel who also works in the market,” he adds.
Like many young people from rural areas, Vilmas had never accessed formal financial services before. Her first loan, equivalent to $1,400, helped her purchase inventory for her stall, and later a motorbike to transport produce to and from the market.
Vilmas appreciates the personalized support she receives from Santa Isabel, especially the convenience of making payments directly through the visiting loan officer. Thanks to access to finance, she has been able to expand her small business and now employs two additional workers at her stall.