Mae Sheil is a young mother, married to a struggling church planting pastor in Bogo, Cebu, Philippines where typhoon Yolanda devastated their region two years ago. The unemployment rate is extremely high in the aftermath of the typhoon and she and her husband are struggling to make ends meet while he starts out in the ministry. They are so poor that they are living in their sending church until they can sustain themselves economically.
Mae Sheil came to our Start Your Business training with the idea of starting a food vending business. She hopes that this will be the vehicle to be able to support her family. Midway through the 5-day class, as she was doing her market research, she showed us a competitor’s food cart (pictured below). Taking her market research to heart, she jumped up from her seat and ran to the competitor’s cart and began asking him the questions she learned in class. She came back with valuable information that will help in her business startup.
MBC is working with her on her business plan and will help her find a microloan with one of our partners. She is thrilled with this opportunity and is filled with so much hope that this can be her way out of poverty.
