Avimileth is a 16 year-old girl living in the Community of La Concordia in Nicaragua. From a very young age, Avimileth has worked in the fields, cultivating corn and beans alongside her father and three sisters. She is also in her third year of high school, studying efficient technologies. Avimileth has a natural entrepreneurial spirit and is always coming up with innovative ways to support her family. She lives a very simple life and in severe poverty, but dreams of so much more.
The majority of people in Avimileth’s community are forced to work for tobacco companies in order to provide for themselves. These tobacco companies use very harsh chemicals on their crops and many people have fallen seriously ill just trying to make a living. On a $3 per day salary, Avimileth’s parents could not afford to keep up with her studies, and she feared that she would have to sacrifice her education and work for the tobacco companies in order to survive. The thought of this fate was heartbreaking for a girl who had always dreamed of owning her own business.
Fortunately, Esperança has a food security program called the Agroecology Project for Women and Youth in Nicaragua, where motivated teens like Avimileth receive the opportunity to continue their education. The program is carried out in 10 different communities in rural Nicaragua, and Esperança noticed right away that Avimileth was a good candidate for a grant. She now receives $10 dollars per month to pay for her school tuition and personal expenses.
“Esperança’s economic initiatives for young people are very important because often times we are overlooked. I am happy to be a part of this program because the training material is essential! I have learned to improve the soil, cultivate basic grains, and provide agroecology treatment without chemicals. I learned to make my own organic fertilizers, insecticides, repellents, and organic foliar. I’m producing healthy food and improving the food security of my family and other families in the area. Everything we learn we replicate so that more families learn to eat healthy and improve their quality of life.”
In addition to Avimileth’s education, Esperança also granted her a loan of $600 to purchase a mill and launch her business. The mill is a business venture with which she hopes to improve her economic condition and satisfy her entrepreneurial spirit.
“Today I can count on a mill that allows me to generate income and be self-employed. When Esperança first supported me to buy the mill, I was a lot more scared and less confident; I thought that I was going to fail. But now I can count on my clients who never disappoint me and come to my mill every day!”
“Thank you Esperança for your generosity, and for the donors that allow the education of young women so that we can develop skills and abilities to help ourselves and others. I hope that they continue to support more kids my age with limited resources because there are few organizations that are interested in helping young people. I’m proud to know an organization like Esperança and its team working in the community.”