Borrower Spotlight: Isabel Ramirez, Small-Scale Farmer | Costa Rica
- Working Capital for Community Needs
- Oct 24
- 2 min read
We met Isabel Ramírez during a field visit to Upala, a rural community in northern Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border. She greeted us with a smile, her four-year-old daughter tugging at her sleeve, and her seven-year-old son playing nearby. We were there with MiCrédito, our longtime local partner, who first connected with Isabel two years ago.
Isabel is 30 years old and arrived in Costa Rica in 2018, fleeing the socio-political crisis that deeply affected her home country, Nicaragua. She crossed the border with her young son and her parents, hoping to build a better future. A few years later, her daughter was born. Today, she is the proud mother of two: a seven-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl.
Those early years in a new country were challenging. Isabel supported herself through the jobs she could find—cleaning houses, picking crops, and helping out in her community. But she always dreamed of starting something of her own.
In 2023, a friend told her about MiCrédito, WCCN's trusted local partner, which has long supported migrant women like Isabel in creating new opportunities. For the first time, Isabel accessed a formal loan—$1,000 to buy watermelon seeds and fertilizer. She started renting a small plot of land near her home and, with that loan, found a way to support her family on her own terms.
“I grew up in the countryside... Farming is just part of who I am.”
Isabel now rides her motorcycle between the field and her home with her children. Besides selling watermelons, she also helps other farmers harvest cassava to earn extra income.
Each harvest brings her a little closer to her goal: buying her own piece of land and building a safe, permanent home. Right now, her family lives in a small house on an abandoned lot—a space that could be taken from them at any time.
“The loan was a vote of confidence. You have to take risks. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose… but at least you’re trying.”
Like Isabel, thousands of women across Latin America are building small businesses, cultivating the land, and creating brighter futures for their families—often with limited resources but boundless determination. With your support, we can help scale their efforts and strengthen our collective positive impact.
Yaywin Game Website offers a seamless online experience! Everything works perfectly — from login to gameplay. The layout is intuitive, and the loading time is impressive. It’s the perfect hub for gamers who value both design and performance.