Natalia, being an energetic woman and an optimist wouldn’t put up with her new status of a housewife in Ludinovo. Moreover, only one salary of Natalia’s husband wasn’t enough to support a family with two teenage children.

A chance encounter with a Faberlic cosmetics firm manager during a cosmetics fair in Moscow gave her an idea to open a small beauty shop. Natalia took several training courses on the professional use of the Faberlic cosmetics, concluded agreements with Faberlic on the cosmetics supply. However, the premises rented for new business necessitated redecoration and adjustment for the needs of the beauty shop.

The family didn’t have extra money to make the investment, so Natalia’s noticing of WMN’s advertising panel on the nearby building wall was quite timely. In March and in April 2002 Natalia applied for two consecutive two-month loans in the amount of just RUB 3,000 (less then $100) each for the purposes of laying on water supply to the business premises and purchase of interior finishing materials. Later that year Natalia also received a 5,000-ruble loan for the purchase of the showcase and a 8,000-ruble loan for the purchase of a new lot of goods.

Natalia has been WMN’s borrower ever since. To date she repaid 20 loans without a single day of delinquency. She has applied for both small loans for working capital increase and for bigger loans for investment purposes. In order to boost her business and attract new clients, Natalia purchased new equipment and extended the range of services offered by her beauty shop. Cooperation with WMN enabled Ms. Vitrik to increase the business assets 30-fold, build a loyal clientele, significantly contribute to the welfare of the family and last but not least realize her dreams, find an outlet for her energy and ideas.