Monica's Restaurant

Crossing a busy avenue in the industrial sector of Quito, Ecuador, I ducked into a blue-green building where the rattle of dishes above the gentle melody of Spanish music announced the preparation of meals for the lunchtime rush.  Monica called out her greeting as she carried a tray of soup to patrons in the upper dining area, and a waitress soon brought me a sweet yellow fruit drink called naranjilla.  When business slowed down and Monica could join me to talk, she explained that in the five weeks since she opened this restaurant, sales had grown from fifteen lunches per day to around eighty on the day I visited.  Motioning with her hand like a rocked in takeoff, she beamed with delight at the growth in the business but also recognized the challenges ahead of her.

Located near many factories, Monica has a large lunchtime customer base, but she also has many competitors.  With seven other restaurants within a few blocks, the price of a lunch is fixed, but Monica distinguishes her restaurant by the high quality and exceptional flavor of her cooking along with the inclusion of a small dessert in the price of a meal.  As business grows, she hopes to contract another worker to work in the evenings so that she can stay open late and offer empanadas, a cheese- or plantain-filled bread that is a popular snack as people return home from work.

These aspirations to grow and improve her very own restaurant are the fruit of many yeas of preparation for Monica.  Only a few years ago, Monica lived in the eastern jungle region of Ecuador and was a teacher with no intentions of working in the food industry.  However, a series of events forced her and her husband to move to Quito.  As they started off with nothing, she found that her cooking could be a source of income to help provide for her two young daughters.  Monica had grown up around her mother's restaurant in the eastern jungle, so she turned her knowledge of food preparation into an informal business, catering for events and serving lunch to nearby construction workers in her home.  Nonetheless, Monica had bigger dreams.  Through business training from Partners Worldwide's local affiliate, Partners for Christian Development, Monica learned the management skills needed to complement her cooking and open a restaurant.  A loan from Partners Worldwide was the final step to fulfill this goal, allowing Monica to purchase an existing restaurant and make it her own.

Although it has only been a few weeks since the business opened, the impact in Monica's life is obvious as soon as one meets her.  "I feel strong." Monica says, lifting her arms and smiling broadly.  "This is my very own business and I make the decisions.  It makes me feel useful and fulfilled, and it is going to have a great impact on my family and community."

Monica is one of four businesspeople who received loans in July after completing a 12-week business training class and writing a business plan.  I look forward to following the progress of their businesses and seeing them achieve the goals they have set out.


Coming soon: The Economic Context of Ecuador: Why we do what we do.