Our 10-Year Relationship With Marites

When Marites first joined the One Hope Microfinance Program, life was simple yet uncertain. Her youngest daughter, Nicole, was still a toddler then—barely tall enough to reach the counter of their small home. Today, Nicole is in Grade 9, a bright young girl who helps her mother run their sari-sari store after school. Together, they’ve grown—side by side—with the quiet strength that only years of patience, hard work, and faith can bring.

Marites often says she has learned that true success isn’t measured by how big your store is, but by how wisely you manage what you have. Over the years, she’s become an expert in knowing what her community needs—selling ice cream and cold drinks in the summer heat, and stocking up on fresh vegetables and produce when the seasons shift. With the seed capital she received from our program, she opened the very first sari-sari store in her neighborhood.

Now, more stores have opened nearby. Yet people still come back to hers—not just for what she sells, but for the warmth of her welcome. During our short visit, we even saw two neighbors stop by to buy from her, exchanging friendly smiles and stories. After a decade of hard work, Marites now proudly stands on her own two feet—confident that her store can sustain her family without needing to borrow more money.

If there’s one lesson she hopes to share with other mothers, it’s this: save whenever you can. She’s deeply grateful that our program not only encourages saving but also allows withdrawals in times of need. In her 10 years with us, Marites never missed a chance to set something aside. That discipline has transformed her life—brick by brick. With her savings, she was able to expand their home, adding more rooms and a small cemented balcony. It’s more than just a space for rest—it’s a safe place, a guard against the floods that sometimes threaten their community.

But her journey wasn’t without pain. She continues to reach out to other mothers, offering help, encouragement, and a listening ear—becoming the kind of person she needed when she was going through hard times too.

Though she no longer holds an active loan with us, her heart remains deeply connected. She’s opened her home as a free meeting place for their fellowship—proof that for Marites, community is more valuable than profit. In fact, she played a vital role in forming the Bayan-Bayanan Fellowship, even introducing our now-coordinator to our staff.

Marites’ story is one of courage and compassion—a reminder that growth isn’t just about building a livelihood, but about building others up along the way.

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