Wilson

Wilson is 70 years old, married, and lives with his wife in the province of Imbabura in northern Ecuador. For 44 years, with the help of his wife, he has dedicated himself to making backpacks and leather goods such as belts, shoes, boots, bags, and wallets. He dedicates every day to making these items, and this business has allowed him to pay for his household expenses.

Wilson has a long history in saddlery, a trade that spans generations, as his father taught him how to craft leather goods from a very young age. Wilson learned and found similar jobs that strengthened his knowledge.

He began working on creating his own leather designs. He now designs and crafts wallets and handbags, with the support of his wife. Wilson also repairs purses, backpacks, bags, and handcrafted products, adding value to each of these items.

Wilson dedicates every day to preparing materials, making moulds, and making the bags. He manages to make 150 bags a month, each of which he sells at city fairs to local and international tourists.

Wilson has set out to improve the machines in his workshop and has applied for a loan to achieve this. He will allocate 47% of the loan to purchase knitting and trimming machinery for bag making and the other 53% will finance working capital to purchase linings, hardware, and threads for detailing his manufactured items.