Adding to basket
Juana, age 49, grew up with her parents in a community in Cotzal. Her parents could not give her the opportunity to attend school due to limited financial resources. Instead of studying, they sent her to the mountains to collect wood, to grow vegetables, and to tend sheep.
When she was 20 years old, a young woman from CONALFA, Comité Nacional de Alfabetización [National Literacy Committee] came to the town and presented a plan of study for learning to read and write. Juana signed up and learned to read and write.
This year, Juana will invest her sixth loan in expanding her business, developing her activities of buying and selling corn, grinding corn, and two tortilla shops. The support provided by the Asociación has permitted her to give her children access to education, to cover family expenses, and to save for the future of her family.
Juana is the leader of the group "Flor de Maguey 2". The group includes 7 women, all of the Maya Ixil ethnic group. The group will invest their loans 14% in agriculture, 72% in textiles, and 14% in food. On average, each member has two children. The average age of the group members is 41 years. Among them, 30% are illiterate, 14% did not complete primary school, 14% did finish primary school; 14% studied up to seventh grade, 14% up to ninth grade, and 14% up to 11th grade, completing their secondary school education.
In this group: Juana Chití, Juana, Juana Ester, Juana, Magdalena Ericka, Magdalena, María Abigail
Translated from Spanish by Kiva volunteer Joann S. View original language description.
