Twenty years ago, María del Carmen Robles, a hardworking entrepreneur from El Salvador, started her business journey selling tortillas on the streets. Every morning, she would prepare tortillas and set out to sell them to her neighbors. Though it was honest work, it was exhausting and barely provided enough income to sustain her family.
Determined to improve her situation, María applied for her first loan, $200 from PADECOM, WCCN's local partner. She used the loan to purchase corn and a griddle to continue selling tortillas. However, despite her efforts, she realized that this business was not as profitable as she had hoped, and the physical toll was overwhelming. She knew she needed something different, something that would allow her to earn more while reducing the strain on her health.
That’s when inspiration struck. She decided to make charamuscas, traditional Salvadoran artisanal frozen treats made from bananas.
At first, she sold only 25 charamuscas per week, but her product quickly became a hit. Customers loved them, and word spread.
Seeing an opportunity for growth, she applied for another loan from PADECOM to expand her business. With this new loan, she purchased her first refrigerator, allowing her to store more products and expand production.
María continued selling on the streets, but her customers no longer just waited for her to pass by—they started coming directly to her home to buy their favorite charamuscas.
In 2016, María del Carmen officially launched her own brand: "Carmencita’s Charamuscas". Her husband joined her business, helping with distribution, while she remained in charge of production. There was something unique about her product—only María del Carmen knows the secret recipe that makes her charamuscas so special.
Today, two decades after starting with tortillas, María del Carmen produces 1,000 charamuscas a week.
Her business has grown exponentially. She owns five freezers, two refrigerators, and a dedicated storage facility. Which allows her to sell her products to schools and universities, securing a stable and thriving business.
Her dedication to reinvestment and growth has been key. Her most recent loan, $25,000, was used to further scale her operations, ensuring that her business remains sustainable and competitive. She keeps loyal to PADECOM, recognizing how crucial its financial support has been in her journey.
The impact of María’s business goes beyond financial success. Thanks to her business, she has been able to improve her home, expanding her kitchen, building a garage, and even purchasing an additional house for her children. Most importantly, she has provided her family with opportunities she once thought were out of reach.
Her three children have benefited directly from her hard work. Two of them are currently studying to become priests, a dream that she has been able to support thanks to the business she built from the ground up.
Beyond material improvements, María has gained financial independence and a newfound confidence in her future. "I feel happy and fulfilled. My home has improved, and I have been able to grow my business with vision, ensuring I leave something for my children", she shares with pride.
María del Carmen continues to work tirelessly. Every day, she wakes up at 5:00 a.m. and works until 9:00 p.m., making sure that each charamusca maintains the quality that has defined her brand for years.
But she doesn’t plan to stop there. Her next goal is to expand her business even further, reaching more schools and improving her marketing strategy to attract new customers. Thanks to her participation in financial education programs, carried by WCCN’s local partner, she has learned how to better manage her income.
When asked what advice she would give to new entrepreneurs, she answers:
“Go for it. I am not ashamed of having started selling on the streets, honest work is always worthwhile".
Help us support more microentrepreneurs like María del Carmen by donating or investing with WCCN.
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