At 56, Carolina didn’t need a handout. She needed a breakthrough.
As a single mother in Trujillo, Peru, Carolina has spent decades “just getting by.” When she heard about a sewing workshop through a partnership with Mentors International and the Giving Machines, she didn’t see a hobby; she saw a path to independence.
Her transformation was not solely due to the fabric; it was the combination of her craftsmanship and business mentoring that made the difference. She learned to silence the negative thoughts telling her she couldn’t be an entrepreneur and developed the skills to track her income, manage her expenses, and budget meticulously.
Through the Giving Machines, Carolina received an essential “starter kit”: cotton fabric, pattern paper, threads, and scissors. But it was the mentoring that taught her how to turn that kit into a thriving business. She produced 12 polo shirts, generating a net income of 360 soles, which is about $100 USD.
When her son was hospitalized after an accident, Carolina was able to cover his medical expenses without going into debt, thanks to her financial management skills.
Today, she is still making and selling shirts, in addition to handmade crafts and frozen treats while she saves for her ultimate goal: running her very own costume shop. Carolina isn’t just sewing shirts; she’s building a foundation that no crisis can tear down.
