Yes! I want to support microfinance and empower people to work their way out of poverty.

Ronis  Rosa

"Opportunity."  That is why Ronis Rosa says he came to the United States from Brazil seven years ago.

Opportunity is a common motivation for immigrants to the United States.  But not all who settle here are able to deal with the economic challenges of building a new life.

That doesn’t apply to Ronis. With the calm assurance of a man with a clear and thoughtful plan, he explains how he progressed from a car wash employee in the suburban town of Milford, Mass., to owning his own auto detailing business, Rosa Brothers Services, also located in Milford.

As a car-wash employee, Ronis fostered relationships with customers and provided service that they came to view as superior.  So, when Ronis heard about a local auto-detailing business that was closing, he pieced together resources from family and friends to rent the space himself. Before long, he was building his own auto-detailing business one customer at a time. Clients for whom he had worked at his previous job followed him and his superior service to Rosa Brothers.

In order to offer complete auto detailing, Ronis needed capital to replace his faulty power washer and carpet-shampooing machines. Knowing he couldn’t ask family and friends for more money, he was uncertain where to turn. It was at that point that he read an advertisement for ACCION USA in the Brazilian newspaper, A Notícia. After working through the loan application process with an ACCION USA loan officer, Ronis soon had the $5,000 he needed to buy the new equipment.

Rosa Brothers occupies a three-bay garage with a brightly painted exterior and an equally bright and tidy interior. Brazilian and American flags fly proudly from the front of the building, easily seen by current and prospective clients passing through the busy intersection of this bustling town.

With a satisfied client base, new equipment and help from his brother Robert, Ronis is ready to expand.  What’s next?  Improving and enlarging the building to allow Rosa Brothers to offer even more services, including a drive-through car wash. And with ACCION USA behind him, he knows that more opportunity is just another loan away.