Poco a poco – Little by little

Hola! My name is Mary Hewes, and I work with YoungMoms, an organization that empowers pregnant and parenting young women in Southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Most of our clients are immigrants from Guatemala who join our program between the ages of 13 and 21. I am honored to be a part of the group traveling this year as this is also my first visit to Guatemala. 

Today, we visited La Victoria, a new group participating in the stove projects, and Los Pinares, another group working with stoves. We also went to Chanshenel, where we shared a wonderful meal provided by the women of Seguidoras de Cristo, who have benefited from chickens, potatoes, and revolving funds projects. These efforts are supported by the Association of Mam Christian Women for Development, which is dedicated to empowering women in the region.

At YoungMoms, we love sharing stories of our client’s accomplishments, so today, I’m honored to share the story of a member of the Association of Mam Christian Women for Development who is part of the Seguidoras de Cristo (Followers of Christ).

Cristina’s Story 

Before Cristina joined the Association, her life was very different. She didn’t have access to revolving funds or know about any of the projects that could help her. She worked for other people, which meant waking up at 3 in the morning, leaving the house to go to work, and not returning until 4 in the afternoon. She had to leave her two young children alone at home because she needed to work to cover their expenses.

When Cristina joined the association, everything began to change. She received her first revolving funds and bought her first cow. Every day after work, she would go into the woods to gather grass to feed it. That cow became her first source of earnings, and with the money she made, she decided to invest in something new. “Poco a poco”, little by little she could make changes. 

Cristina started planting potatoes, and with the profits, she was able to fund other ventures. She invested in weaving, and today, she even has a small store, chickens, and sheep. She no longer has to work outside the home, so she can spend more time with her children.

She still wakes up at 3 in the morning, but now it’s different. She gets up early to weave in the peace and quiet before her kids wake up. And most importantly, she does it from the warmth and comfort of her own home. 

Joining the association gave Cristina the tools and support she needed to get ahead, poco a poco, and for that she is truly grateful.