Joelma can support her family and help the environment while doing what she enjoys most.

Transport accounts for approximately 14% of the world’s CO₂ emissions, second to the energy industry. That makes the energy transition more vital than ever, especially in the automotive industry, which accounts for 35% of GHG emissions related to fuel combustion only in Latin America and the Caribbean, while the global average is 22.

In this context, cycling is gaining importance to fight Climate Change, on top of it being a healthful and inexpensive alternative mode of transport. 

Joelma Vieira, a mother and businesswoman from São Paulo, saw in her great passion for cycling a business opportunity that would also enable her to do her part to fight Climate Change.

She was forced to close her bicycle repair shop for several months. According to her: "When the pandemic started, our shop closed for three months. But because we could rely on the bank's support, as incredible as it may seem, I can say it was a successful year”. 

With the help of a Prospera agent, Joelma could get financing to reopen and grow her business throughout 2021, and it has now become her primary source of income. Her bicycle repair shop now specializes in accessories for cycling, a sport that Joelma feels is more than a hobby:

“Cycling means health. It means life,” she tells us. “Right now my husband is helping me. He mainly upgrades the bikes. We work with bikes in bad shape. It's also a way to help the environment and people who can't afford a brand new bicycle.” 

Joelma also says that, thanks to the loan Prospera granted to her, she’s been able to save for her children’s future: “I have a 17-year-old who is going to university and a 14-year-old. I was able to open a savings account for my children”.

With her sights set on her business’s future, Joelma is optimistic: “I plan to expand my business. I believe Santander Prospera will help me invest and grow more and more,” she says.

Santander Brasil has dispensed over 2.1 billion euros (13 billion reals) in micro loans in 1,600 towns over the last 19 years. Santander Prospera Microfinanzas has a unique value proposition to help small business owners and their communities grow. It has already boosted the business of over 1.6 million entrepreneurs. In 2021, Prospera’s support for micro-enterprises and other initiatives led renowned magazine Euromoney to name Santander “Best Bank for SMEs in Latin America”.