“We all go through difficult times,” Sonia, a woman in Honduras, said. “My life has not been easy.”
When Sonia was a little girl, her father taught her about business. Though she did not go to school, her father instilled a strong work ethic in her. When Sonia grew up and needed to support her own family, that same work ethic helped her provide for her kids by buying tomatoes and selling them for a profit.
Then Sonia joined Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment program. She started her own business selling cooking oil. With her profits, she expanded her business and started selling popcorn, soft drinks, and ice cream.
But Sonia lives in Honduras, where her community experiences frequent power outages. This makes preserving her product difficult — especially the ice cream.
“The boxes of ice cream were melting. I was losing product, and even the refrigerator was damaged,” Sonia said. “That discouraged me … but I did not give up. I continued to persevere.”
Sonia went out to buy more ice cream to supply her business. And this time, she bought a surge protector for her refrigerator. The next time she lost power, the surge protector kept her refrigerator safe.
Throughout her time in Women’s Empowerment, Sonia has learned more and more about running a successful business.
“I have improved in my administration, and I have seen how a good administration leads to the growth of my business,” she said. “Before, I used to spend the profits. Now I know that the profits do not belong to me, but to the business. I have been able to manage my resources well. Little by little, I have been introducing new products that my clients ask me for.”
Now Sonia teaches other women what she knows every chance she gets. “I was a woman who acted defensively. I did not like to live and share with others. And as a result of the program, I learned to relate and work as a team. Today, I say to other women not to stop, keep going.”
“Since I was little, I dreamed and looked at the businesses and said, ‘Someday, I will have one,’ and now to be able to have it makes me happy,” Sonia said. “Being part of the program has taught me a lot, and to be able to share is a blessing.”
