As a child, Delia learned the laborious, millenarian art of carving gourds by hand, using only a small chisel. Over the years, it turned into a business which has enabled her to bring up her children and send her children to study at university. Delia has taken part in many regional, nationwide and International competitions, which have led to her becoming one of the best known artisans in the country.
Gradually, the market for her high quality craft products grew. “When I started winning competitions they invited me to fairs in Peru and abroad; I sold potatoes and other products to pay for the artisan products and the first trips, but then I saw that I was going to need some extra if I was going to travel”, she recalls.
Delia had the opportunity of learning about the support given to entrepreneurs from one of the first microfinance institutions, which subsequently became part of what is now Financiera Confianza. Since then, for more than 15 years, she has always worked with the BBVAMF entity in Peru.
Delia with a Financiera Confianza’s officer
This entrepreneur believes that her professional success would not have been possible without the support of Financiera Confianza, which believed in her and approved the loan which underpinned her growth. “Without collateral it was difficult to get a loan. We knocked on several doors and it was Financiera that supported us”, she explains.
Delia is also grateful to Financiera Confianza for having contributed to her artistic growth and that of her family, because otherwise her husband would probably have had to work far away to support the family. “Thanks to the support of Financiera we could all stay together”, she adds, proud that her gourds have brought her children’s dreams true: that of becoming doctors.
