Seattle Sketcher
An illustrated journal of life in the Puget Sound region by Times artist Gabriel Campanario.
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The loan may be micro but the impact isn't
Posted by Gabriel Campanario
3:06 p.m. [ Click image to view larger ]
The past week has brought a lot of firsts for Dolores Maritza Jiménez de Portillo, a poised 29-year-old from El Salvador. First plane trip, first time in Seattle, first visit to Costco.
Also, first time speaking in front of more than a thousand people, which she did earlier today at the invitation of Global Partnerships, a Seattle-based micro-financing organization that works with lending agencies in eight Latin American countries.
With a $500 loan from Apoyo Integral, one of those agencies, Maritza set up a small convenience store that she runs with her husband, allowing their two boys to go to school. She has already repaid that loan and is working on repaying a $3,000 loan she took to build her house.
In between the luncheon speaking engagement and the private tour of Costco, Maritza had time to sit for a sketch and share her inspiring story with me and her impression of Seattle.
"Everything is wonderful. Everyone is so kind and sweet. They show others respect and affection, something I never had," she said in Spanish about her visit in Seattle.
Feb 6 - 5:08 PM Meet my new kayaking buddy, Mister Zebra
Feb 3 - 10:42 PM Kalakala's charm not yet rusted out
Jan 27 - 7:57 PM Museum rises out of the forest
Jan 23 - 5:45 PM Snow free!


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You can browse a gallery of sketches and purchase prints.



