Maria has been a regular borrower with one of the WLB1 portfolio companies for the past 19 years. Beyond just enabling her to expand her business through more working capital, Maria’s loan has allowed her to support the education of her two children and access affordable health and life insurance. As described by Maria, “Without it, I would have turned to informal loans which usually comes with higher interest rates, threatening my household income.” This was particularly beneficial when she had to cover medical and hospitalization expenses, and burial services upon her husband’s death.
Through IIX’s WLB1, Maria continues to receive insurance coverage that has made her more resilient to uncertainties. Without having to worry about her children’s future and her own future financial outlook, she feels more secure with her life now. This is well aligned with IIX’s mission to improve women’s financial security and empower women to be pillars of COVID-relief, recovery, and resilience.