By Simon Villeneuve | Communications Coordinator
Maria worked as a farm cook in Nicaragua for many years where she struggled to provide enough resources to care for her family. She knew that her job wasn’t going to be enough for her family long term, so they decided to move to an economically rich community to settle down.
Risking all that she had hoping for a better life, Maria moved her family to Costa Rica. She felt like they were making progress, that is, until her house caught fire. The fire not only consumed their clothes and the roof over their head, but also destroyed their hope for new opportunity.
With nothing to her name, Maria and her children returned to Nicaragua.
Upon arrival to Nicaragua, Maria met a new friend and support, Tierra Nueva community member Pablo Martinez. Their friendship blossomed, and to Maria’s joy, her family was able to join Agros’ Tierra Nueva community in 2012. This meant that her family would have the opportunity to start over with a clean slate!
She was excited about the opportunity, not only improve the quality of life for her children, but also to begin a firm foundation of economic independence for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“When I take my product to market, I do not worry about my children. I know that they are in a safe community with clean water.”
Since joining the Tierra Nueva community, Maria has taken full advantage of any opportunities that come her way. She is now growing vegetables, corn, coffee, and raising chickens.
If you asked Maria her favorite thing about being engaged in Agros’ Tierra Nueva community, she would tell you, “When I take my product to market, I do not worry about my children. I know that they are in a safe community with clean water.”
Becoming a member of Tierra Nueva has significantly improved the quality of life for Maria and her family. The ability to own land and have a safe home means that her kids have a life that she had only previously dreamed of.
Recently, Maria was elected to become the Community Health Promoter. Life for the Martinez family looks remarkably better than it did a few years ago.
Thanks to you, Agros is able to restore hope and opportunity to the world’s poor. It is exciting when we get to see rural poor families own agricultural land, attain economic self-sufficiency, realize their God-given potential, and pass on to future generations the values and resources that enable them to flourish.
Learn more about the impact Agros is making in Honduras by visiting agros.org.
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