Little shop of dreams

On an average day, over 200 little customers tumble into Damayanthi’s shop to buy everything from biscuits and sweets to exercise books and pencils. As the only retail shop to be located opposite one of the village schools, it not only brings Damayanthi’s family an income but also provides a much-needed service to the village. They did not always have the shop. But a small loan helped change their story.

Thusitha was a paddy farmer in the town of Giribawa. His wife Damayanthi worked with him in the fields. When they saved enough to build a home for themselves he also built a shop in front of their home with the hope of starting a retail shop one day. They started off by selling a stock of toys in the shop, whilst continuing to work in the paddy fields.

Once the stock finished, they were faced with the question of whether to continue the shop and how. That was when Damayanthi heard about VisionFund (World Vision‘s micro finance operation) and took a small loan of LKR 25,000 (USD 200) to keep the shop going.

They stocked the shop with goods like sugar, onions and spices. As time went by and business picked up, the shop began providing an assortment of items; books, stationery, packeted food, cosmetic items, rubber slippers and more.

The shop opens as early as six o’ clock in the morning to cater to its little clientele with pressing stationery needs. Damayanthi runs the shop, and is often kept company by her three year old daughter Hasara, who loves sampling the sweets for sale. They also have a son, Hasitha, who is 12.

At their shop, the customer is King, and they don’t turn away little customers who run in for favours, phone calls, messages and more. Damayanthi is now on her third loan cycle and they have plans to expand the shop further. The income helps them afford tuition for Hasitha and promises a better future for their little daughter Hasara. The shop also affords hundreds of children and their parents the convenience of a one-stop shop, just a hop away from school.