Sunday, September 9, 2012

Carinderia to Canteen: Ruby Barnuevo’s Micro-credit Story


It was only three years ago that Mrs. Ruby Barnuevo was still a struggling food vendor in Hacienda Lugway, Silay City. Although cooking was her passion, she struggled to make ends meet for her family. Today, she owns a stall in the canteen of St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City (SFAS) with the help of Tapulanga Foundation’s micro-credit program.

“The food business has always appealed to me. With the micro-credit loan of the foundation, I don’t have to worry that much about finding capital for my business.” said Mrs. Barnuevo, 43 years old. She lives in Hacienda Lugway, with her husband, Judy and their five children: 3rd year high school student Kyle Dominic, 4th grader Kara Fraancheska, 2nd grader Kier Vincent, and pre-kinder Jude Bryan – all students of SFAS and scholars of the Tapulanga Foundation.


“I loan 6,000 pesos and pay on a weekly basis for two months. It all works out quite well and I get to have extra money at the end of the day for savings. Sometimes my husband helps me out and so does some my children.”
 The low interest rate of 1 percent a month and after two months she is able to renew her loan again makes her livelihood easier and more stable as she always has ready capital for her business.  She plans on adding a new livelihood project since her current business is going well. “I would like to go back to raising pigs since we already have a pigpen at home.” adds Mrs. Barnuevo.


Like the other beneficiaries, micro-credit allows her to support her family and eventually make a difference in her community.
“It’s really nice to get to do what I love –which is cooking –and make a sustainable living out of it. Micro-credit makes all of this possible. I am really thankful.”


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