Ana María Blanco de Avedaño is a mother of four daughters who lives in Bogotá, Colombia. In 1988, she got a job as a 'house mother' with the Colombian Institute of Family Well-Being and started a kindergarten and daycare center. In 1993, she decided to move the preschool into her home, but she had no money to pay for the remodeling that was needed or to buy furniture for the children. At this time she heard about WWB affiliate CMM-Colombia. Based in Bogotá, CMM-Colombia has more than 47,000 clients, 76 percent of whom are women.
Ana María took out a loan from CMM-Colombia for USD 435 to buy furniture and prepare the house for the children, which she promptly repaid. Since then, she has taken out 13 loans for a total of USD 4,783. These loans enabled her to furnish the preschool comfortably and invitingly, and to install and equip a kitchen where she prepares hot meals for the children. Today, Ana María cares for 26 children in her preschool, ranging in age from two to four. She has one employee and charges USD 13 per month per child, adjusting the payments to the parents' ability to pay.
Language: English
July 17, 2008
Popularity: 155