Borrower Profile: Luis Alonso Mendoza Rodriguez

Luis Alonso Mendoza Rodriguez shows off a sample of his bananas. Photo by Michael Kienitz.

Bananas are a way of life for Luis Alonso Mendoza Rodriguez. Living in a coastal climate conducive to their production, Luis says he works with bananas “all day, every day.” In 2006, Luis received his first microcredit loan from WCCN’s first Honduran partner agency, Credisol.

Although Luis says banana production is always somewhat dependent on the whims of Mother Nature, the risk of lackluster harvests has decreased because of his relationship with Credisol. Luis used his first loan of $525 to buy inputs and fertilizer for his fields. He says he was also able to hire workers to help with the harvest. The improved inputs and the extra help he is able to hire have allowed him to increase his output and enhance the efficiency of the harvest.

In the past, Luis relied on his family to help with his banana production. “Food needs used to be a much larger concern for my entire family,” Luis says. Today, he is proud that his four adult children are able to pursue careers of their own. Two are business professionals, one is a furniture maker, and the other has followed in Luis’ footsteps, purchasing his own land and becoming a banana producer. With his children now able to provide for themselves, Luis can offer employment to community members. Employing others allows Luis’ own concerns of the past, like hunger, to also become history for his workers.

By Susan Frisbie
Development and Marketing Director