Adding to basket
"Soutoura" is a group in the Minataton de Keleya association, which is made up of four women who know each other from family and neighborhood ties. They are, on average, 38 years old. Married with an average of five children, they do different things for a living, especially though the buying and selling of condiments and rice, like Mariam, who is the first perosn standing on the left in the photo. They live in large traditional families in Keleya, in Bougouni prefecture (Sikasso region, Republic of Mali). They have been involved in small-scale commerce for several years and are very sought after in their business areas.
In order to satisfy the needs of their growing number of customers, the group members decided to join Soro Yiriwaso's loan program. They are on their ninth loan.
Mariam, who is the president of the group and is very known in Keleya, excelles in the selling of rice. She plans to use her loan to buy some sacs of rice. She procures her goods in the surrounding villages and in town from wholesalers. She makes her sales in Keleya for cash and credit, to customers who are men and women.
She hopes to earn a monthly profit of 30,000 francs CFA, which will allow her to repay the loan and to reinvest in her business.
In this group: Mariam, Kourouni, Awa, Chata
Translated from French by Kiva volunteer Lindsay Ferrara. View original language description.
