Susan Pagdilao lives with her husband, Ernesto, and their four children in Mangatarem, Philippines. For years, Susan’s husband worked as a police officer to provide for his family, but he struggled to make ends meet with his income alone. Determined to better provide for her family, Susan started her own sari-sari store where she sells a variety of groceries and household goods to earn a living. Her business is now her family’s main source of income, and her husband even retired to assist her at the shop. However, Susan knew her store could become more profitable, but she did not have enough capital to invest in its growth.
Susan found the solution to her business troubles when she joined Opportunity International. She joined a Trust Group where she received financial training and a loan, which she used to purchase stock for her store in bulk. Susan hopes that by expanding her selection and amount of merchandise, she will be able to attract new customers and increase her profits so she can better provide for her family. She plans on eventually hiring her neighbors so she can create jobs in her community and she also intends to start a livestock business to diversify her income.
