Sick of kids with smartphones? Try traditional toys

In a time where smartphones are becoming the modern-day pacifiers, Abadias' dream is to train younger generations to continue building and playing with toys.

Abadias is a father of 6, living in the hills near the outskirts of Bello, Colombia. He is a professional woodworker who makes wooden toys such as tops, yoyos and 'pirinola,' which are six-sided tops that originate in Mexico.

He even started traveling to other cities to share the traditional way of playing with these toys in schools and other institutions.



Without financial support, Abadias was not able to buy wood at wholesale prices, so he could not fulfill large orders. He wanted to buy a power tool that would help him reduce manufacturing time and fulfill his customers' demands.

With Kiva, Abadias was able to get a $1,000 loan. It helped him buy beautiful rose-colored wood at a wholesale price, thus saving on production costs. This enabled him to accept and fulfill larger orders from the local community recreation organization.

Abadias is proud of his work. He and his wife are looking forward to paying off the loan so they can get a larger loan and further increase their production. He hopes to have regular orders so that he can continue to provide for his big family and educate children about traditional ways to have fun.

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