Juliana in Nicaragua

Juliana is 37 years old and the mother of 8 children. Her roasted skin shows the challenges of working long hours in the field just to make ends meet. Her husband and older children work in nearby farms while she and the younger children work their two acres of land provided by her father-in-law.

Loans from MEDA have changed her life. Her first $300 loan allowed her to buy some head of weaned calves which she raised and then sold. Juliana took the profit she earned from this sale and bought improved beans and corn seeds.

Juliana has now asked for a recurrent loan for $500 for working capital. “We are a poor family, but we love to work,” she said. “Through MiCredito loans I am able to provide an income and ensure food for the year.” She will be harvesting in mid August, sow again and reap by the end of December.

She dreams of owning a farm one day. And with MEDA’s help through MiCredito, and her own determination, that just might happen.

Bizoro in Tajikistan

Bizoro lives with her husband and two sons in the traditional county of Chorku. She is 54 years old and concentrates on her ‘hobby’ and main income – gardening and food preservation.

Bisoro is proud of her garden, including her new seedling greenhouse. She had been growing seedlings under plastic before MEDA’s chief agronomist visited her and proposed to her that MEDA could help support the installation of a real greenhouse. Before that point, Bisoro only prepared seedlings for her own garden. But with a real greenhouse she could sell them and also provide some seedlings to the neediest neighbors for free.

Bisoro was surprised at how easy she could recover her costs and make a profit in the first year. She cultivates medicinal plants and herbs and also fruits and vegetables.
And while her other specialty is food preservation, she is also testing some solar drying methods and new equipment now.

Bisoro practices intercropping, crop rotation and collects the first Colorado beetles by hand before they can severely damage the plants. She also regularly advises her neighbors on gardening, nutrition and food preservation.

MEDA looks forward to working more closely with Bisoro. She has agreed to participate in the MEDA Village Advisors training program and will be able to organize seminars and discussions once she receives training. Her gifts will be spread to the whole community.

Talut in Pakistan

Talut has faced many challenges on the road to starting her own business. She is poor, illiterate, and faces the barriers of being a woman in Pakistan. She lives in a society that requires her to interact with only women, to wear a full habib when outside her home, and to be watched by her husband in all business transactions.

But Talut is one of the lucky ones. In the face of all these restraints, she has built a business that provides 170 rural homebound women embroiderers with an income. She makes a good income herself and that income gives her a lot of dignity and pride.

Talut is so grateful to MEDA. When asked about the Project Director, Talut replied, “Now I have seen what is possible and I will keep moving forward because I want to be a part of this world she’s shown me.” She is not the only one who is gaining strength, dignity and the pride that comes with earning a living. Over 6000 women in Pakistan have the same feeling of hope.