Support Sustainable Livelihoods in Rural Guatemala

Entrepreneurship and secondary income generating projects are more important now than ever before. As our community members continue to face the many challenges that COVID-19 brings, the most poignant of these is the financial crisis that the pandemic has thrust upon the rural Santiago Atitlan community. As such, Pueblo a Pueblo’s Sustainable Livelihoods projects have been offering community members hope for rebuilding some of the financial losses they have experienced during the past year. 

All of our project teams, Beekeeping, Youth Leaders, and Women Entrepreneurs, have been hard at work over the past few months, in hopes that in person markets and opportunities to sell their products will be open again soon. 

Beekeeping teams in both San Pablo and Santiago Atitlan have been harvesting honey over the past two months, and have been able to bottle their harvests for sales. In Santiago Atitlan, the team is currently undergoing some expansion, and hoping to add five more members in the next few weeks.  Senior Beekeeping Technician Genaro Simalaj has been meeting with and interviewing potential new members to ensure that the team continues as a strong, cohesive group.

Youth leaders have been sharpening their entrepreneurial skills via online workshops with Project Coordinator Hony Julajuj. Just a few weeks ago, the youth leaders of San Martin met online to discuss the qualities of a good leader, community enterprise, the challenges of small businesses, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. Despite some technical challenges, Hony says that the youth leaders learned a lot, and were excited to be able to connect!

In the coming months, the team is going to receive training on how to raise egg laying chickens, and will hopefully begin caring for their own chickens soon after. Their goal is to start an egg selling business, and with the support of Pueblo a Pueblo and local experts, we are sure that when it is safe to do so, their business will be up and running!

Finally, our Women Entrepreneurs have been continuing their work with Days for Girls Guatemala, and most recently, have been sewing the storage bags for menstrual hygiene kits. Our Women's Right to Health Program Manager Vilma Mendoza just recently held a workshop for ADISA, a local organization working to defend the rights of people with disabilities. The workshop covered topics such as menstrual hygiene, calculating and tracking the menstrual cycle, and using the Days for Girls reusable menstrual hygiene products sewn by our Women Entrepreneurs. 

Although each of our Sustainable Livelihoods project teams has faced many challenges over the past year, we are very proud that they have continued to learn more about entrepreneurship, and work diligently on their projects. Pueblo a Pueblo is grateful for your continued support of our aspiring entrepreneurs, and we hope that 2021 will continue to bring more opportunities for growth!

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, Pueblo a Pueblo is embracing all safety precautions to continue meeting the needs of our constituents. In accordance with government restrictions, all of our typical in person programming with beekeepers, youth leaders, and women entrepreneurs has been suspended. However, our entrepreneurs are still working hard on their projects!

In recent month, our beekeeping teams in both San Pablo and Santiago Atitlán have been tending their hives, and are awaiting the next harvest. Senior Beekeeping Technician Genaro Simalaj has been keeping in touch with both beekeeping teams via phone calls and online skills workshops. Although the transition to technology has been challenging, Genaro is thrilled to still have a way to reach the beekeepers. 

In Santiago, our beekeepers are managing eight hives, and just recently harvested 22 pounds of beeswax! As this is their first year participating in the project, their virtual workshops have explored topics like monitoring and feeding the bees as well as how to clean the hives. Our San Pablo team, already in their third year, is thriving and caring for over 20 active hives!

Similar to our beekeeping teams, our youth leaders have continued learning about entrepreneurship through online workshops with project coordinator Hony. Just a few weeks ago, youth leaders in San Martín learned about business planning, and drafted a business plan that they hope to begin in March of 2021. In Patzilin Abaj, youth leaders recently learned about CANVAS, a basic business model that helped them plan out their finances and goals for the coming year. 

Finally, our women entrepreneurs have continued their partnership with Days for Girls, a global nonprofit dedicated to increasing access to menstrual hygiene products. Here in the Santiago Atitlán community, women entrepreneurs are helping sew reusable menstrual hygiene products for the Days for Girls kits. In recent months, ten women have been participating in the project, but in 2021 we hope to expand the project not only to include more women but also diversified forms of entrepreneurship projects as well!

As we look toward the coming year with hope, Pueblo a Pueblo is proud to support secondary income generating projects like these. We hope to make 2021 a year of entrepreneurial growth so that more community members have a chance to rebuild economically after such a challenging year. Thank you for believing in Pueblo a Pueblo’s vision of promoting sustainable change through entrepreneurship. Your support is invaluable to the empowerment of rural Guatemalan entrepreneurs!