Patsy sells popcorn and pies to support her eight children
Patsy is separated from her husband and they have 8 children all under her care now. They live in a very small house which also serves as her working area and storage for her raw materials and products. With no financial support from her husband, Patsy would do any business that will help her support her children and their education which are the most important for her.
Patsy used her first SPBD loan to expand all her different businesses. She is weaving mats, making kafa or Tongan accessories, baking pies, selling desserts and popcorn. She makes 100 packs of popcorn everyday and 200 packs on Saturdays which is Tonga’s busiest market day. She delivers popcorn, pies and desserts to roadside stands and shops in town. Everything that she is doing is very small but profitable. This allows her to earn more and support her 8 children. The oldest is 15 years old and the youngest is 2 years old.
“My hands are full taking care of my eight children and doing all these different small businesses. I am not done yet. My next SPBD loan will be to put a small hairdressing salon,” Patsy said. True to her entrepreneurial spirit, Patsy’s goal is for her children to have their own businesses when they’re grown up so she is teaching them now to make handicrafts and to bake.