An Opportunity for Growth

I don’t believe that poverty or wealth is measured in numbers, but rather in quality of life and the ability for growth. In my experience I would say these factors, which make a person poor or not, have more to do with environment and mindset than they do with money.
Many of the communities I visited during my time in Tanzania were by typical standards very poor, however, their ability to provide for themselves from their land, their desire for growth and ingenuity in making that happen, created a quality of life that I have not seen in many other places. The family I lived with in Mbeya had very little money. They ate the food they grew and raised, and sold sunflower oil to put their daughters through school and pay for the occasional luxury.
This attitude of self-sustainability is sadly not something that I’ve seen much of in my community here in Guatemala. It has a lot to do with years of oppression by majority groups. It probably also has a lot to do with the fact that the model of development that many NGOs have used here in the past: giving out stuff (latrines, school supplies, houses, animals, etc.) Because of those two factors, many of the women that I work with aren’t interested in listening to talks about hygiene or cooking unless there is a promise of a project or gift at the end. It can be pretty disheartening.
Six of the women that I work with have recently connected with a local company in a very interesting project, generating income via a model called micro-consignment. It differs from traditional micro-credit programs in that the women aren’t loaned any money and don’t owe anyone anything- they simply sell products for the company and earn a percentage of the profit. The products are sold at a very low cost and are items that are needed in their communities, such as eyeglasses, water filters, solar-powered lights, seeds, etc. I have been accompanying the women to their trainings as they’ve learned how to give eye-exams and promote the products.
It has been really exciting for me to see these women show a lot of commitment and ingenuity in this project. They are paying their own travel expenses to come to the trainings, taking time away from their fields and kitchens to learn a skill that will serve them in generating income and self-esteem. It shows me that despite the many hurdles they have to overcome, and despite oppression and the development history in Guatemala, they are invested and willing to work to see the changes they desire. This Friday will be their first community campaign to put their skills to the test. I’ll keep posting on the progression of the project, but for now, here are some photos of the women learning to give the eye exams…