Marianela loves creating good food. From the time she was a young girl growing up in Lima, Peru, she learned the art of cooking. Marianela’s first job was as a kitchen assistant. As she helped to prepare food, she gained an appreciation for spices, colors, and different ingredients that could be combined to make delicious meals.
Marianela met, fell in love with, and married Gino Hector and together they have two children, Diana and Leandro. With a lot of effort, Marianela fulfilled her dream of having her own restaurant. She started little by little selling her food creations. Hector supported her dream and studied to become a chef. Together they work, side by side to support their family and feed their customers.
Despite all of their hard work and dedication, they still struggled to make ends meet while having the desire to expand their restaurant. “I was invited to participate in the Mentors International program in Peru by the Shalom community. They told me they could help me with capital, and I could use it to grow my business. I was so excited when I learned that Mentors International would also teach me the business skills to properly run my business.” says Marianela.
Marianela is very grateful to Mentors International for the opportunity with work, group loans, and the financial training she has received. “I have dreams of opening a bigger store and restaurant in the center of Lima. With the help of Mentors International, I can make my dreams my reality.”
