Antonio Márquez lives in the town of San Martin with his wife and beloved son. The region where Antonio lives is famous for its cattle ranches, but even more so for the “sombrero vueltiao,” a straw hat that has been handcrafted for many generations in this region and has become one of Colombia´s cultural symbols. As a young boy, Antonio learned how to weave from his father. Now he is a master craftsman, as well as the legal representative of a local craftsmen association. Before becoming an Opportunity client, Antonio´s greatest challenge was finding a reliable source to finance his business activities. Antonio heard about Opportunity for the first time from one of his trading partners who sell him the straw to make the hats. He plans to use his loan to buy straw in bulk, so that the production is not interrupted by lack of raw materials, and to distribute the hats to other cities.
