The Success of Melchora Catayong from the Philippines
The journey towards greater self-reliance doesn’t come overnight. It can take years. Step by step, lesson by lesson, learning and applying the business skills takes time and dedication. Melchora Catayong from Pasig Philippines has been working with Mentors Philippines for 10 years. Looking back, she can see the changes and progress she has made, and it brings a big smile to her face. Melchora runs a small sari-sari store in the front of her home. With one of the loans she received from Mentors Philippines she expanded her home and business. Later on she opened up an internet café. Over time she has grown her small little shop to include cold sodas and increased the variety of products she sells. This has helped set her apart from all of the other sari-sari stores in her area.
One of her latest investments is a coin operated Wi-Fi machine. Her customers put a few coins in a machine and it will turn on Wi-Fi for a specific amount of time so that the user can connect their phone and have access to the internet. Melchora doesn’t have to be around to run this machine, and it is available to her customers 24-7. This new business venture has brought in extra income allowing her to pay off her loan even quicker.
“I am very grateful that Mentors Philippines come to my city. They have helped not only me but several of my friends. We attend classes together and we support each other. I would not be where I am today without Mentors Philippines.
