Evelyn is pictured above with her family and other members of her loan group. She is in the center wearing the purple shirt.
Evelyn Paran is a true leader and mentor to her friends and family. She has been working with Mentors Philippines in Davao for nine years and she was nominated by her peers to be their loan center leader. She helps organize the women in her loan group. She makes sure they know about the upcoming meetings. She encourages them and cheers them on as they are paying back their loans.
Evelyn weaves small handbags and purses. She has involved her daughter and her mother in these businesses. They enjoy spending time together while weaving these bags. Evelyn uses her small loans to buy additional materials such as leaves, fabric, and zippers.
Evenly has paid back every one of her loans, on time, and in full. Evelyn truly leads by example. She wants to make sure that her daughter knows how important honesty and trust are in a person.
Change does not come overnight. The road to self-reliance takes time. Evelyn has now become a mentor to other mothers in her community as the loan center leader. For Evelyn, her greatest joy is that her daughters are by her side learning the skills at the classes taught by Mentors Philippines.
