Argan Oil Benefits: Update on your loan to Galina Vovk in Ukraine

Cultural Connnections LLC, and Eden Allure 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil is happy to bring the following news from Kiva.org:

This is an update on our loan to Galina Vovk in Ukraine.

Galina has a kiosk where she sells children's games and toys in
Zaporozhye's largest outdoor market, Angolenko Market. She is currently
repaying her 12,100 grivna loan on time. She has used the loan to
purchase additional inventory at her shop.

Galina is a longtime client of HOPE Ukraine. She first took out a loan
because she experienced difficulties in her personal life rather than
her business. Her parents became ill and she needed to pay their hefty
medical bills, so she took out a loan from HOPE Ukraine to help
supplement her income.

Since then, Galina's worked with HOPE Ukraine consistently as a repeat
borrower. (She's also a repeat borrower on Kiva! Galina was funded by
Kiva lenders in 2007.) Since she began working with HOPE, she's never
fallen behind on repaying her loans. Galina says she likes working with
HOPE, the people who work there are very nice and helpful. Her daughter
also owns a kiosk in Angolenko Market selling children's clothes and has
also worked with HOPE Ukraine in the past, though she doesn't currently
have a loan.

Galina started her business over 10 years ago when Angolenko Market
first opened. Before that she worked as a controller in a factory. When
I asked her about future plans for her business, she responded that if
she were younger she might make plans, but now that she is "retired" she
has no plans to make big changes in her business. Retired – and yet
she still goes to work at her shop every day!

Business is generally going well for Galina and her shop. She is clearly
a diligent worker and good business woman. During our conversation, we
were interrupted several times by shoppers at Galina's kiosk. The
financial crisis has hurt her business some, but in general it's ok.
"Some days," she said, "I stand here all day and make 20 grivnas; other
days, I make 300." 8 grivnas is equivalent to about 1 US Dollar.

As for the future, Galina's biggest dream is to use her profits from her
business to visit Italy. Two of her sisters live there now with her
three nephews and their children. Her sisters often beg her to visit;
"Maybe one day!" she says.

[There is a correction to her Borrower Profile. Galina only has one
location in the market where she sells toys, but presumably the other
location refers to her daughter's shop in the same market.]

Help support other HOPE Ukraine borrowers by joining the HOPE Ukraine
lending team! http://www.kiva.org/team/fans_of_hope_ukrainenadiya.