Celebrating Mothers: Grettel's Story

In honor of Mothers Day on May 13, we are celebrating some of the amazing women we know around the world who are working tirelessly to support their families and create bright futures for their children. Honor the mothers in your life at opportunity.org/mothersday. 

When Grettel married her husband Winston, she immediately got involved in the family business. Winston’s father Raymundo learned to make rope from his father, and purchased a rope-making machine from Costa Rica 36 years ago. He has spent the remainder of his career building a rope business in Jinotega, Nicaragua. When Winston was old enough to begin working, he joined his father in the business. And when Winston and Grettel got married, she jumped on board as well. 

When Grettel joined the business, she brought an important relationship with her – a partnership with Opportunity International. When she was just 18, she began working with Opportunity and received loans to support a clothing business that she operated with her mother. So when the rope business needed an influx of capital to grow, she knew exactly where to turn. 

She used her new loans to purchase nylon and other materials for the business, and before long, their nearly-empty table in the market was full of brightly-colored ropes. They sell their items to coffee farmers and other members of their community, and their business is growing more quickly than ever. 

As their business began to grow, Grettel and her husband started their best adventure yet: she got pregnant and gave birth to her daughter, Brittany. Now, all of Grettel’s goals for her business center on her daughter’s future. She wants the best things for her daughter; she wants to give her a great life. 

When Grettel reflects on her ongoing partnership with Opportunity International, she speaks with gratitude. “People are so nice,” she says. “The door is always open for me at Opportunity.” And when she thinks about her daughter, she wants a bright future for her family—and she is doing whatever she can to achieve that.