For Maria Mercedes being a mother made her strong, and Tu Puedes Guanajuato helped her move forward and have more resources to make her business grow
For Maria Mercedes being a mother made her strong, and Tu Puedes Guanajuato helped her move forward and have more resources to make her business grow
Salamanca/Gto News
There are stories that resonate deeply when told. Stories born from daily effort, from the need to get ahead, and from the greatest love: a mother’s love for her children.
In the community of Los Prietos, in Salamanca, Maria Mercedes Prieto has built a new life, a new beginning through hard work, determination, and courage. A mother of five, head of household, and entrepreneur, she starts each day before sunrise.
With the support of her family, Mercedes finds the strength not to give up.
She started by selling corn on the cob, little by little, step by step. Five years later, her business is her family’s livelihood. “I raise my children on my own,” she says proudly. And along the way, she found an opportunity that allowed her to take another step: with the “We Believe in You” program from Financiera y Apoyos Tu Puedes Guanajuato, she was able to buy the necessary supplies.
“It was a huge help; it helped me a lot, both financially and because I no longer had to send my children early to grind the nixtamal. With that money, I bought my own mill, which made my work much easier,” said Mercedes.
“Now I grind the dough myself for the gorditas and quesadillas for my daily lunches, for my tamales and for everything else that comes next,” said the entrepreneur.
Her restaurant is called “Los 5 Angeles” (The 5 Angels), a name that not only identifies her cuisine but also honors the reason she never stopped working to make it a success. While many are still asleep, she is already grinding nixtamal, preparing the dough, and lighting the fire to bring her business to life.
However, her journey doesn’t end there; in the afternoons she cuts hair, and on weekends her kitchen transforms into a space where the flavors of tradition fit: enchiladas, flautas, menudo, tamales, gelatins, pies, all prepared with the same recipe: effort and love.
Her experience is also a message for other women. “Get involved, it’s real, you don’t need intermediaries, you don’t need anything but your desire.” And with that same conviction, she’s already thinking about the next step: “I’ve already decided to apply for a loan with Tu Puedes Guanajuato; the important thing is to grow and keep moving forward little by little.”
Ivon Padilla Hernandez, Director General of the financing agency, highlighted that the objective is clear: to bring opportunities to those who have historically been outside the financial system, especially women and single mothers.
“In this People’s Government, we believe in the women who support their families every day. We haven’t forgotten who we are here for, and that’s why we work to ensure that every mother who wants to get ahead has a real opportunity to do so,” said Ivon.
She reported that 3,500 such grants were awarded during 2025, and the goal for 2026 is to reach 4,000 more new entrepreneurs in the 46 municipalities.
“Every act of support opens a door. It’s about trusting that behind every project there is talent, effort, and a story that deserves to grow. As Governor Libia Dennise Garcia Munoz Ledo has pointed out, working as a team we are unstoppable, and that is evident in every woman, every entrepreneurial mother, and every single mother who decides to move forward,” said Padilla.
“We want more women like Maria Mercedes to dare to take that first step and know that they are not alone. Here is an institution that believes in them and in what they can do,” said the Official.
More information about the programs offered by Financiera y Apoyos Tu Puedes Guanajuato at:
- Creemosenti.com
- Call: 477 148 12 42
- Social media: @tupuedesgente
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