Dieula Calixte, Haiti

Dieula’s snacks provide her the income she needs to survive.

When she lived in Haiti, Dieula worked as a servant, often going days without food to eat. She and her sister, Rosa, eventually moved to the Dominican Republic and began performing agricultural work. Because she suffers from sickle cell anemia, Dieula was often ill, which meant she couldn’t work as often as she may have liked. She knew she needed an opportunity to improve her livelihood for the sake of both her health and her happiness.

Dieula soon went into business for herself, selling snacks like nuts, chips, and other treats to adults and children in her community. She then decided to take out a loan for 2,000 pesos (US$68) with Esperanza International, a microfinance institution, to grow her business. Six months later, she had not only paid off her loan in full, but she had increased her capital to 2,500 pesos (US$69). 

Dieula’s snack business now brings in 40-50 pesos (US$1.10-1.40) per day, and she has taken out a second loan of 3,000 pesos (US$102) to finance the business’ continued growth. Back in Haiti, Dieula struggled to afford the vitamin B medication she needed to treat her illness. Now, she is able to get her medication more frequently. Rosa is also an Esperanza client and both sisters are enthusiastic about the microfinance institution’s service in the community. “If anything were to happen to Esperanza, we’d take to the streets in protest!” Dieula laughs.