The concept and the chance that helped Mirjana thrive

By MI-BOSPO

Earlier than the Bosnian conflict, Mirjana Parhomov  was a security engineer residing quietly within the city of Bijeljina, Bosnia. Through the conflict’s aftermath nonetheless, she was one in every of many who have been left with no job, an earnings and a house.

“It”s laborious if you end up left with no house and a job,” Mirjana mentioned. “It appears to me that my job loss was more durable on me than dropping the home. Outdated individuals say, a hardworking man can begin from scratch and make one thing of it 3 times in a single lifetime. However, I say, a hardworking girl can begin from scratch and make one thing of it 5 instances in a single lifetime!”

In 2003, Mirjana took her first mortgage from MI-BOSPO to begin a enterprise. Her thought was to re-start her father”s former enterprise—a water mill—and use it to supply flour. The earnings she acquired from the enterprise helped her household survive a troublesome interval.

“They inform me that it is a man”s job. It’s troublesome, however it isn’t a person”s job,” Mirjana instructed her mortgage officer. “I used to be penniless however with the thought. I needed to run the mill!”

After repaying the primary mortgage and seeing how her enterprise has strengthened, Mirjana knew she needed to make it even higher. She realized that she wanted to speculate much more in her enterprise if she needed to increase her providing. She needed to introduce new merchandise similar to buckwheat, barley and rye. Mirjana is at the moment within the eighth mortgage cycle with MI-BOSPO. She is utilizing 1500 BAM (US$976), which was invested in corn planting, from which she is going to produce wholesome corn flour and different corn flour merchandise. “As a spouse and a mom, I believed, wholesome meals is the long run.”

When she shouldn’t be working on the mill, Mirjana goes round to close by eating places and affords her merchandise. At present, Mirjana produces many merchandise from several types of flour, satisfying the assorted wants of her prospects.

“I got here to MI – BOSPO for a mortgage. It was a small quantity to begin with. And, so I began. Little by little, I now have elaborated job and all people is aware of about my mill and me. I’ve common prospects. I managed to achieve the enterprise quantity and income in order that I can rent an worker. That’s my success. I’m glad that I used to be capable of rent another person. I’m nonetheless a consumer of MI-BOSPO. I prefer to work with them. I began with them. They’re my assist.”

Her story describes the impression of empowering low-income girls with monetary entry: with simply an thought borne of a necessity mixed with laborious work and the chance of a mortgage, a worthwhile enterprise is created, producing employment for the group is effectively. MI-BOSPO is happy with its shoppers like Mirjana and their success.