Check out some available loans that are similar to this one!
Independiente San Lorenzo Group
In this Group: Maurin Irlanda, Monica Alexandra, Madeleine, Germania Leonida, Juan Alberto, Benny Germania, Silvana Patricia*, Norma Benilda
* not pictured
Madeline started this business when she was ten years old, in an effort to help her mother to put food on the table every day. She is a single mother and has two sons, ages six and four who attend school. Madeline says she decided on this line of work because there was no opportunity for a more formal job. She only has a high school education and did not find any other work.

In order to do her work, she gets up every day at 4:00 a.m. to prepare breakfast and lunch for her children who stay home alone until she gets back from work.

Her work inside the swamp is very difficult since she must stick her hand down in the mud about 50 to 60 cm and feel her way around to find one or two molluscs. If she does not find anything she must move on until she does. Many times there are reptiles and toads that can bite and produce fever and weakness. Depending on the type of reptile it can even cause death. The swamp fishing area is an hour and a half from San Lorenzo, in the ocean, and the boat owners buy 100 molluscs for $8.00, then sell them to intermediaries at a price of $14.00, says Madeline.

With this loan, she wants to become an intermediary since she knows how much her colleagues suffer doing this work. She wants to pay a just price and be able to expand in the business so she can feed her children better food and spend more time at home with them.

Madeline is the one raising her hand up in the photograph. She is the leader of the group of eight people who will receive loans of $400, $500, $1,000 and $1,200, depending on how long they have been in the group.

Their previous loans were repaid on a normal basis, with nothing further to mention.
View original language description ↓
Desde los 10 años inicia esta tarea con el fin de ayudar a su madre y conseguir el pan de cada día. hoy Madeline es madre soltera de 2 niños varones de 6 y 4 años de edad y que asisten a la escuela normalmente; Madeline dice que se dedicó a esta tarea por la falta de oportunidad en un trabajo formal, solo estudió hasta el bachillerato y no encontró oportunidad en algún empleo formal.

Para la realización de esta tarea, ella se levanta todos los días a las 04H00 am. para dejar preparando el desayuno y el almuerzo para sus hijos que quedaran en casa solos hasta la tarde donde regresara de esta faena.
Al llegar a los adentros del manglar, es muy difícil la tarea, ya que para sacar 1 o 2 conchas, se debe introducir la mano en el lodo a una profundidad de 50 - 60 cm y al tacto lograr encontrar la concha, de no ser así, se busca otro lugar hasta encontrar el producto.
Muchas veces, nos encontramos con reptiles, y pejesapos, que al picar, produce fiebre, debilidad y según el reptil, puede producir la muerte.
los lugares de donde se saca la concha quedan a una hora y media desde San Lorenzo, mar a fuera. y los dueños de las embarcaciones, nos compran las 100 conchas en $8,00; para luego venderles a los intermediarios a un precio de $14,00 dice Madeline.
Con este crédito, ella espera convertirse en intermediaria, ya que conoce lo que con sus compañeros sufren realizando esta tarea. Desea comprar a un precio más justo y poder crecer más en este negocio; así, podrá brindar una mejor alimentación a sus hijos y pasara más tiempo con ellos en casa.

Madeline se presenta levantando la mano en la fotografía, ella es líder del grupo de 8 personas quienes recibirán créditos de $400, $500 $1000 y $1200 según la antigüedad.
Cabe indicar que los créditos anteriores, fueron pagados de forma regular sin presentar novedades.

Additional Information

More information about this loan


About VisionFund Ecuador


This is a Group Loan




About Ecuador

  • $10,200
    Average annual income
  • 29
    View loans »
    Ecuador Loans Fundraising
  • $23,137,225
    Funds lent in using Kiva
  • US Dollars
    Loan transacted in USD

Success!! The loan was 100% repaid

A portion of Independiente San Lorenzo Group's $5,100 loan helped a member to buy molluscs and provide other mollusc collectors a fair wage.
100% repaid
Repayment Term
14 months (Additional Information)
Repayment Schedule
Mar 20, 2014
Apr 28, 2014
Currency Exchange Loss:
Apr 17, 2015