Asocacion de Guadas

Kolumbia

Maa

Hanke

Maria is one of the eight women who founded Guadas Cooperative in 2005. Guadas is situated about two hours nortwest from Colombias capital Bógota. The coopeartive produces and sells confectionary clothing. Currently there are 16 members, of which 14 are female. Most members are responsible for the income of their families. The ladies are true entrepreneurs and started small: they received support from Sena, a governmental organization that stimulates education and training. Sena provided them with three small sewing machines (for rent). They also received training on how to properly use the sewing machines. This was the start of a successful business; they started producing and selling the clothes and were very good at it. What they did next was applying for a grand from a Canadian fund. With this grant, they could buy professional, industrial sewing machines to better serve new and existing clients.The cooperative produces and sells clothes for the national and international market. To be able to do this, all members receive technical and commercial training. Currently they have four production lines: leisure clothing, school uniforms, workwear (they produce the clothing for Helios, the company that maintains Colombias highways) and traditional clothes.

Maria and her colleagues have great ambitions: With the loan they would like to open their own points of sale, buy more fabrics and increase production to satisfy customer demand. With the loan, 4 new jobs are being created.

Lendahand and its local partner grant this loan on the cooperative payable in 24 months, to be able to make this ambition reality.