Microfinance: Meet Nanay Poleng

August, 2021

Apolinaria Gracia, fondly known in her community as Nanay Poleng, is a 59-year-old mother of two living in Rizal, Philippines, with her husband, Joven. Though soft-spoken at first, her quiet determination and entrepreneurial spirit quickly shine through.

Her husband farms a small plot of land nearby, but their income has become increasingly unstable due to the effects of climate change on crop yields. Seeking a more reliable source of income, the couple opened a sari-sari store in 2015, about 15 kilometres from their home. They named the store after their first grandchild, Yan Yan.

In 2017, tragedy struck when one of Nanay Poleng’s children was killed in a motorcycle accident. The loss deeply affected the family and became a turning point in her life. She decided to focus on creating something more stable for her family’s future and, in 2018, joined Grameen Pilipinas Microfinance Inc. (GPMI). With her first microloan of PHP 7,000 (AU$182), she expanded her store’s offerings to include bottled beverages.

Through consistent repayments and responsible management, Nanay Poleng soon qualified for her second loan and later transitioned into a micro-enterprise client during her third loan cycle. This milestone allowed her to access a larger loan of PHP 30,000 (AU$782), which she used to transform her small store into a wholesale beverage business. She even purchased a second-hand Mitsubishi van to deliver products to other retailers in neighbouring areas.

When COVID-19 hit and lockdowns disrupted supply chains, Nanay Poleng’s business not only endured but continued to grow, a testament to her adaptability and hard work. Now in her fifth loan cycle, she plans to invest in another delivery vehicle to meet growing demand. Her story stands as an inspiring example of how microfinance can evolve into true microenterprise changing not just livelihoods, but lives.