Pfonita Ascam, the Philippines
Nonita Ascam, a twenty-eight-year-old mother of two, joined the Sandigang Kabuhayan Project in September 1995. At the time, her family was renting a small run down shack in Sto. Nino, Las Pinas, Metro Manila, and lived on her husband's income of US$60 a month.

Her husband, Fernando, was engaged in a small repacking business, whose income was not enough to make ends meet. Nonita decided to join four close friends to form a group and join the Sandigang Kabuhayan Project. She received her first loan and used it as additional capital for her husband's repacking business.

Less than a year later, the business is working very well. The business brings in a monthly income of US$300. The family has moved to a new house in an adjacent community with their savings. With the impending release of her second loan, Nonita plans to increase production of her garlic repacking business and expand her present market to the whole of Las Pinas. "This business may sound little, but profit is assured provided there is a market."

Name of microfinance programme: Foundation for Educational Evolution and Development, Inc.
Source: Microcredit Summit 1997 - Institutional Profiles.


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