Home builders are providing a hand up, not a hand out to the working poor in 17 countries around the world through loans as small as $55.
“When there isn’t capital, there isn’t work.” José Rincón, Wheelbarrow maker, Dominican Republic
José Luis Rincón is a wheelbarrow manufacturer who lives in the Dominican Republic (DR). He is married and has 2 children. Over the course of his time with Esperanza International, HOPE International’s partner in the Dominican Republic, José has taken and repaid 6 loans ranging from $469 to $2,344 USD.
At the time of his first loan, all of José’s tools were mortgaged, but his loan officer trusted his business idea to manufacture wheelbarrows. Things went well with the first loan, and he was off to a good start. His next loan produced excellent growth, so his loan size continued to increase. Over time José reached a point of stability in his business, but the growth he realized in the first couple of years had stopped. It was at that same time; however, that he was moved by God and gave his life to the Lord, and from that point on he could truly see his business gain strength and begin to grow again.
When asked how these loans have impacted him, his family and his community José states,
“When I began I didn’t have a vehicle and now I have my own truck. We lived in a rented house, and although we had a piece of land, we hadn’t been able to build anything. Now I have finished my own concrete house on the land. Also, my business has become a reference point for getting to the neighborhood and I have created various jobs in my sector.”
So José began with an idea and mortgaged tools and his current fixed assets now exceed $15,625.
He says that with God and Esperanza he has been able to arrive where God permitted.
