At 42, Marites is a hardworking and entrepreneurial mother of four sons—her eldest in college and the others attending secondary school. Her husband works in a department store, and also actively supports her growing business ventures.
Marites runs a sari-sari store and an adjacent café, both of which serve as important sources of income for the family. She also operates a backyard swine fattening business, adding further stability to their daily finances.
In October last year, she applied for a Lendwithcare loan, which helped her purchase key stock for her sari-sari store—including sacks of rice, canned goods, beverages, feeds and frozen items. Part of the funds also went toward ingredients for the café, such as meat, aromatics and seasonings. The loan made a significant impact on her ability to grow and diversify her operations.
Thanks to increased earnings, Marites was able to buy two tricycles to assist with transporting goods—making business operations smoother and more efficient. She is now applying for an additional loan to further expand both the sari-sari store and café, aiming to raise profits and secure a stronger financial future for her family. Part of the new funding will also support her swine fattening business, covering the cost of feeds and vitamins.
Marites’s story reflects the power of hard work, smart planning, and the difference that meaningful financial support can make.