Elmer Jose Medal Quiroz

Elmer and his daughter Andrea Johana

Elmer was born on a farm outside of El Sauce, but he moved into town at age 13 because he preferred the city life.  After graduating from high school, he attended CETA, a technical school in El Sauce, where he studied Agricultural Engineering. However, after getting his degree, Elmer found it difficult to find a job in his field so he decided he wanted to purchase a Moto-taxi to make a living. At first, it was too expensive for Elmer to invest in one, so he began to work as a security guard. After saving up enough money from his security job, Elmer was able to purchase a Moto-taxi, which has proven to be a more lucrative business.

Elmer’s loan of U$200 helped him to repair his Moto-taxi when it needed maintenance. He says that the capital from the loan helped him a great deal because these repairs were an expensive investment. According to Elmer, one of the most valuable things he learned from Enlace is to differentiate between necessary and unnecessary expenses, therefore helping him save more money. With the profits from his new business, he is better able to support his two-year-old daughter Andrea Johana, who he loves very much.  

--Written by Jessica Kroenert and Cameron Houser