Norma Salazar

Norma Salazar is a 66-year-old natural medicine merchant in El Sauce. She sells medicine for many diseases and common ailments ranging from an upset stomach to herpes and cancer. Norma began learning her craft at a young age from her grandmother who often sent her to pick leaves that would be used to alleviate intestinal problems, headaches, fevers, cuts, etc. Her ancestors were involved in cultivating all the products she uses to create her medicine. As a kid Norma never attended a hospital, as her mother and grandmother would use natural remedies to tend to all of her medical needs.

Norma was born in Guayabo, Ocotal where she lived for 30 years. In Ocotal she studied up to the third grade in primary school. Growing up in a single parent home makes Norma long to have her family together. Now she tries to spend as much time as she can with her family as this unity makes her feel whole. She has been married for 53 years and is the mother of 13 children: 7 boys and 6 girls.

Norma has experienced a number of great challenges throughout her lifetime. In 1998, a hurricane struck Guayabo pushing Norma and her family to move to El Sauce for protection from environmental threats. The hurricane in Guayabo created landslides in the area that trapped a neighboring family of seven, killing two of the children in the process. This terrifying experience marked one of the most difficult moments in Norma’s life. Poverty has been a perpetual problem for Norma as it has followed her and trapped her family throughout her entire life. However, she is overjoyed today simply because she has a stable place to live. Norma was not able to pinpoint the happiest moment in her life, as every Christmas is special to her since she spends time with her whole family.

Norma says she is in a people business, her task is to provide her clients with the things they need. Enlace’s presentations and business plan have provided Norma with the expertise on how to run her business more efficiently. Prior to joining with Enlace she had neither experience nor knowledge on appropriate business strategies. She likes that the interest rates on microloans are low and hopes that in the future Enlace will increase the amount of money the project is lending. Norma used the loan to repair the refrigerator at her shop and would also like to purchase new display cases for her products. She has been able to see an increase in her profit margin as a direct result of her relationship with Enlace. Norma hopes to make her payments on time and to maintain a good relationship with Enlace so they can continue to work together.

--Written by Clarisol Salcedo, Carolyn Engelhardt, & Luke Quinlan