Augusta’s Story: Food on the Table

"I think part of my success is due to learning from my mother. That and the loans and education — it’s like a chain. I had an inherent business sense and I learned how to implement it. This program taught me to have a vision for the future, and how to calculate earnings and profit to improve my business." - Augusta

All Is Not Lost

AugustaAfter the flood, Augusta looked determinedly for a way to make money. “I had the idea to start a food business the way my mother did. It provided for our needs,” she remembers. But without collateral, no bank would trust her with a loan.

Augusta learned about ESPOIR, a local organization trained by Freedom from Hunger to provide loans and deliver education on managing home-based businesses. With Freedom from Hunger’s training and support, ESPOIR was not concerned that Augusta had no collateral, no credit history and almost no education. Augusta’s first loan was $250. “With that money, I bought three tables, chairs, and some cooking pots,” she recalls.

Expansion over Time

Now, five years later, Augusta puts food on her family’s table — and on the tables of about 120 customers per night. Her little restaurant is named Comida El Paso Lolita, after her mother. While she often thinks of the lessons she learned from her mother, Augusta says she has also learned incredibly valuable business management and financial planning skills in trainings designed by Freedom from Hunger.

Augusta now thinks of her daughter’s future. "She wants to run the business herself one day. I have this dream that she'll succeed. I hope something like this will exist if she ever needs capital," Augusta says. "Knowing I can get credit helps me to plan for my business."

The Power of Caring, the Power of Action

Augusta's life was transformed because of the support of caring people like you. Through the loyal contributions of our donors, Freedom from Hunger is delivering self-help solutions to 750,000 women and their families around the world.

Please help other women overcome the daily fight for survival. With your gift today, you guarantee that another mother does not have to go home empty-handed to her hungry children.

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