Vilma

Vilma, 62 years old, is happily married to Maximo. The couple was blessed with five children—three sons and two daughters. Four of them are already married and living separately, while their youngest is currently attending college and is being supported by their eldest son. They live in a remote village in a town in Cebu province.

Vilma has been managing her dry goods store for 10 years, operating daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. She sells a variety of products such as kitchenware—including plates, spoons, forks, kettles, cooking pots—as well as hangers, buckets, basins, and other household items. Her business helps cover her husband’s medical expenses and their daily food needs. She shared that her sales reach up to £70 on weekdays and sometimes higher during weekends. She purchases her stocks from Cebu City’s Carbon Market every fifteen days, traveling by bus.

Vilma recently applied for another loan from Lendwithcare's local partner, LAMAC, to use as working capital to restock her store. This will help her keep the store fully stocked and attractive to customers. Her business goal is to serve more customers, increase her sales and profits, and provide for their daily living needs, especially for the medicines of her paralysed husband.