As part of their “Service Currency” students came together to help Silvia paint and renovate her little restaurant.
In a small Yucatán community, Silvia lives with her two daughters and grandchildren. Unfortunately, Silvia does not have the support of her husband because he is immersed in alcoholism. This has put a constant financial strain on the family. Silvia has continually sought ways to get ahead and provide for her household. In August, one of her neighbors invited her to a community meeting about a local small business training program. This was Mentors International.
Silvia’s desire to run her own business grew as she attended these lessons. Bringing her daughters together, they thought of different businesses they wanted to start. They started by selling hamburgers, hot dogs, and other snacks on the weekends. Their income improved, little by little. They continued to receive one-on-one mentoring.
As part of the business mentoring, Silvia learned how to advertise her business better, and her daughters now help her with Facebook advertising and implementing home delivery services. In addition, her mentor taught her about adding value to her products, so she has done several seasonal promotions that have helped set her apart from her competitors.
When Silvia and her daughters started their business, they only had a small stove. Unfortunately, that was not enough to keep up with demand as business increased. So Silvia applied for a micro-loan from Mentors International and bought a grill with a fryer. This grill has been an excellent investment, and sales have almost doubled.
Silvia wanted to keep growing her small restaurant and improve its image. So, with the support of students and mentors, they helped her paint and renovate the area where she was serving and cooking her food. Customers immediately reacted and were amazed by the change. Silvia’s income has almost tripled this past year because she has taken the initiative to follow the advice of her mentors.
Silvia is happy with how much she has learned and progressed because she knows she can now give her family what they need. “Thank you Mentors International you were a miracle that changed my life for the better.” Silvia shared with us.
