Education is the Key to a Different Life

By Edelia Aracelly Cruz Torrez, Women’s Empowerment Program Officer, Nicaragua

Juana is 54 years old, married, and the mother of three children.  She and her husband and children live in the community of Los Chiles, approximately 23 miles from the Self-Help International central office in San Carlos, Nicaragua.

Juana has been a very hard-working person since she was a child.  She has succeeded despite adversity, and now she feels grateful to Self-Help International for the support it has given her, both intellectually and economically.  It has helped her earn money to contribute to her home through her daily work.

Juana tells us that she has always wanted to get ahead and that her biggest dream was to have a small business in her own home. She remembers that she lived with her parents and siblings in an isolated place where there were no other houses. Her mother, who was the strong pillar of the family, made corn products for her and her siblings to sell in a nearby community called Papayo,  The money they collected was not enough to cover all the household expenses because there were 12 members in the family,  so their father and the older children worked for neighboring farmers, as well. 

Juana says it was difficult to study because she had to walk more than an hour to get to the nearest school. She and her siblings had to leave at 6:00 in the morning and would arrive home at 6:00 at night.  They accompanied each other on the way, because some attended the morning shift and others attended the afternoon shift. While some attended classes, the others sold the products that their mother made.  In the rainy season, they often missed classes because they had to cross a river, and it was dangerous.

Now Juana lives in Los Chiles with her husband and children, who are in school. For her, education is worth more than any other inheritance that she can leave them. Despite their many difficulties and economic problems, they have gotten ahead.  With her son, she makes bread, and her husband works at night as a security guard.  During the day, he looks for firewood and goes to farms to buy cheese, curds, and cream to resell in Los Chiles.  Juana dedicates herself to the work that her mother taught her, making corn and bread products. Making bread was quite complicated for Juana because she baked it in a bowl, which required a lot of wood.  She never had an oven, since materials were scarce in the region. 

When she became a member of the Self-Help Women’s Empowerment Program, she learned to do many things that she had thought were impossible for her. First, she received training in self-esteem and leadership, business management, and basic accounting.  Then she requested the materials for an oven.  What surprised her most was that the new oven allowed her to do the same baking with fewer resources and time.  Each woman, along with her family members, had to learn how to build the oven. Juana tells us that this work was new to her, but she liked it because she learned to face many challenges that she considered impossible before.

“I am happy with this oven,” says Juana, “because I have been able to have more income, I spend less money, I save firewood, and I am in my own house.  Little by little, people are getting to know my products, so I have more customers. This fills me with pride because I have seen in myself a change thanks to the topics taught by this program. I have learned that self-esteem plays an important role in emotional, spiritual, and economic growth.” 

Juana now recognizes that women can do many things.  She tells us that she feels capable of doing things that she previously felt incapable of doing.  “I have learned to control my investments and profits better. Self-Help International provided us with a notebook and a pencil after the accounting training to record income, expenses, profits, and investments. From time to time, we are supervised by the program officer. I consider this to be important, since it means they care about our long-term growth.  In the training, I also learned to decorate cakes.  My business is bread making, but I am also adding things I have learned to make my business grow.  Another important thing that I have learned is how to make crafts that I can use to decorate my home on special occasions without having to spend extra money.  Another benefit has been learning about nutrition and receiving vegetable seeds that allow us to eat healthier and take advantage of the free space in our yard.”

Juana continued, “I also feel proud because I have even received visits from some friends from the United States who are part of Self-Help International. This encourages me because I know that there are people who want me to improve my life. Everything that the Women’s Empowerment Program has taught me has allowed me to grow and help with my son’s education and household expenses. “ 

“With the cash financing that the program has provided me, I have been able to buy all the materials and tools to grow my business.  I buy flour, firewood, corn, and other necessary ingredients in bulk because that way they are cheaper. With my earnings, I have been paying the monthly loan payment.  Now I have enough money to pay my son for the work he does.  With that money he can buy his personal things and help me with the expenses of his studies. “

Juana is making improvements to her house. She built her new oven and bought new pans, in order to have a recognized bakery. Her goal is for her business to grow and create opportunities for other people who are facing barriers in life. 

Juana ended by saying: “I thank all my family and those who love me for having supported me in every effort I have made. I also hope that Self-Help International is always active in supporting women who want to get ahead, especially in Nicaragua, because there are many women who need support. I consider this program to be very important because it helps us to think and act differently. Just as I have changed, I hope that other women will do so with this beautiful opportunity that only Self-Help International provides through the Women’s Empowerment Program.” 

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