Elvira

Loan description:

Elvira Oblegado is 49 years old and married to Porferio. They have four children aged 21, 20, 18 and 15 respectively. All of her children are studying and the elder three have taken up courses in nursing, veterinary science and biology. Elvira lives with her family in the community of Paypay, in the town of Daanbantayan in Cebu province. Elvira and her husband have a maize milling business where they produce flour and starch made from the kernels of corn. They employ three full-time staff, and have had the business for about 15 years. They used to have a water refilling business. They saved their profits and bought the necessary equipment to start milling maize which is more profitable. The flour produced is sold and used to make bread. Elvira has been an active member of the microfinance organisation, First Consolidated, for almost a year and she already received and repaid a couple of very short-term loans. She requested another loan to use as working capital, helping her to buy supplies of maize as and when necessary, and even paying the salaries of employees when she has cash flow problems. Elvira wants to ensure that her children complete their education and perhaps open up a second milling business elsewhere.