Empowering Guatemalan Women with Professional Jobs

Yensi graduated in 2016. She worked at home embroidering and with her grandparents selling. She had not practiced her profession for eight years. She wanted to be one of those selected to demonstrate what she has learned and know what it is like to work in a company or institution and grow professionally.

Yensi was placed at Compartiendo Suenos,a non-profit in Santiago Atitlan as a bookkeeper. She works with the Seniors in
the program as well.

In February she reported, “After more than a month of working as part of the association of Compartiendo Suenos, I am having a positive experience in office work and attending to elderly people. I enjoy sharing with them a lot.”

Her supervisor reported that she fulfills the responsibilities assigned to her, has creativity, initiative, and contributes ideas. She has patience to work things out and is self-confident. Her work is a contribution to the development of the institution.

Yensi’s responsibilities continue to grow. In April she reported, “This month I was told by the director to start to interview the Seniors about their past and history. I greatly enjoyed being able to hear the past of the Seniors, how they were raised, and their
current situations with their own children.” 

“Another duty that I have been assigned is to update the catalogs of the samples of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, ornaments, and key chains. This is what I’ve been doing in my job.”

By June she was reporting she was updating the records of the Seniors and giving tickets to them, and she was doing the accounting for the Center. She stated, “It is not difficult for me.”

Her supervisor reported that she is a determined person and has had excellent work progress. Things do not need to be repeated to her. She is a person included in the work team for the well-being of the organization. She has developed her communication skills. She is responsible for providing information to the elderly and mediating when there are conflicts or misunderstandings
in the group of elderly people.

Her work development is going well. She has the strength of being empathetic with the people with whom she works. Every month she is more confident and ready to look for a permanent position when her internship ends in December.

Yensi has fulfilled her goal of using her professional skills and learning what it is like to work in an organization. With your help, she has taken the first step to using her education to build a more secure life.