In 2005, Matilde started a street food stand in New York, NY, determined to support her five children. What began as a small step forward became a multiyear journey shaped by grit, growth, and new possibilities.

With a dream of building a business to support her family and a first-time loan of $1,000 from Grameen America, Emerita launched a home-based salon. Over time, Emerita continued to grow and save, reaching the milestone of owning her own local salon. 

In New York, NY, Lidoine’s café serves handcrafted espresso drinks while building a family enterprise rooted in community and designed to last for generations. Since 2013, Grameen America has invested $143,000 in Lidoine’s thriving businesses.

As a Memphis, TN local, Yevetta is using her family-owned lawncare business to keep the neighborhood vibrant and give back to the community’s young people through jobs and training opportunities. With loan capital from Grameen America, Yevetta was able to purchase a new lawnmower that doubled their daily job count from 10 to 20 properties.

Bellisa co-owns an auto-body shop in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and dreams of passing down the business to their children one day. Since joining Grameen America, Bellisa has been able to grow the family business and purchase a home, all while raising her son.

Bertha’s bakery is building a multi-generational legacy in Los Angeles, CA. Bertha and her husband started their business from their home, working side-by-side to open a bakery in the community. Now, Bertha’s youngest son is carrying on the family-run business to open more locations.

To build a community of like-minded creatives, Jay Marie runs a membership-based creative studio in Jersey City, NJ. Since 2021, Jay Marie has received $30,000 in loan capital from Grameen America to expand her successful business.