Mother is a Farmer Field School grad
Maríanela Mancilla Rivera, 40, supports her husband Maximino, 41, to generate an extra income for their family. She gets up every day at five in the morning to work the piece of land she owns, and comes back home at four in the afternoon. This couple and their three daughters live in Miraflores, in Ocotepeque, Honduras.
"My husband and I were students at the Farmers Field Schools sponsored by World Vision Honduras. There we learned to work the land, to know the different types of soils and modern techniques for their conservation and sustainable farming. There are 10 women and 11 men here in MIraflores working and using these techniques," said Marianela. Her daughter Belkis Morelia, 12, is sponsored by Comunidades Solidarias Area Development Programme -ADP-.
"Women’s participation in sustainable transformational development processes is important. I dream with more land to plant and expand our work, have a bigger harvest and generate income for my family's well-being," added this friendly woman of thin complexion and dark skin.
This family gets two harvests every year and sells the product in neighboring communities. They walk for about two hours carrying their baskets full of vegetables. "When there are sponsors willing to support us a small sacrifice is no big deal," said Marianela.
Besides selling their crops, Marianela is part of a micro entrepreneur group where along with her sister Orbelina, 46, and seven women opened a business and created the brand “La Cosecha” to transform fruits and vegetables into packed pickles and jellies; they have a great demand in the local market.
"We lived [very] poorly, now we’re doing well, with good nutrition and health. Now we can buy school supplies, shoes, medicines, clothing and food that we don’t produce,” added Marianela.
She continued "Just a couple of years ago we were almost starving because we didn’t have enough to eat, there was no food in our kitchens. We worked hard and didn´t earn enough with only one crop a year. We had to buy most of the things [food and supplies]. Now we eat, buy and sell."
“Since World Vision Honduras came to Miraflores we’ve changed a lot, especially the boys and girls who were suffering from malnutrition. The food has improved their health and with the monthly weight and height controls, we know we are not going to have malnourished children in the community. World Vision´s training and information has transformed us.” ended Marianela.
"Women’s participation in sustainable transformational development processes is important. I dream with more land to plant and expand our work, have a bigger harvest and generate income for my family's well-being," added this friendly woman of thin complexion and dark skin.
This family gets two harvests every year and sells the product in neighboring communities. They walk for about two hours carrying their baskets full of vegetables. "When there are sponsors willing to support us a small sacrifice is no big deal," said Marianela.
Besides selling their crops, Marianela is part of a micro entrepreneur group where along with her sister Orbelina, 46, and seven women opened a business and created the brand “La Cosecha” to transform fruits and vegetables into packed pickles and jellies; they have a great demand in the local market.
"We lived [very] poorly, now we’re doing well, with good nutrition and health. Now we can buy school supplies, shoes, medicines, clothing and food that we don’t produce,” added Marianela.
She continued "Just a couple of years ago we were almost starving because we didn’t have enough to eat, there was no food in our kitchens. We worked hard and didn´t earn enough with only one crop a year. We had to buy most of the things [food and supplies]. Now we eat, buy and sell."
“Since World Vision Honduras came to Miraflores we’ve changed a lot, especially the boys and girls who were suffering from malnutrition. The food has improved their health and with the monthly weight and height controls, we know we are not going to have malnourished children in the community. World Vision´s training and information has transformed us.” ended Marianela.
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