Elicenia shares the struggles she faces as a single mother.

When I was very young, I started a household with my partner, and we had three children together. But now, I’m a single mother with no type of income. Before CEPAD, I would wash clothes for my neighbors just to feed my family. 

When CEPAD came to Elicenia’s community, she was immediately interested in joining the Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, and was voted to participate. She started attending workshops on self-esteem, being good administrators, writing a business plan, and keeping an accounting record. But the road to owning her own business hasn’t been easy. Elicenia shares the obstacles she’s faced.

In the program, I was able to benefit from a seed fund of C7,000 ($195) to start my own business. When I wrote a business plan, I proposed a corner store to sell various items since there wasn’t anything like this in my community. Last year I was able to open my business. But when hurricane Julia passed, it destroyed my small business and home. I felt like it wanted to take my happiness and dreams away. Thanks be to God that the regional CEPAD staff helped encourage and uplift me. 

Instead of letting the hurricane take away her plans for the future, Elicenia began to think outside of the box to make a new way for herself. She decided to become a disciple of a CEPAD farmer and a family garden to learn how to grow her own produce, and sell it.

I wanted to have my own plants and know how to grow them since I didn’t want to experience another loss like I did from the hurricane. Now I have a small garden where I’m growing tomato, pepper, squash, and watermelon. With this new produce, I’m starting my small business again and am feeding my family better. 

I’ve earned around C4,500 ($125) so far without having to invest anything. The land I planted on belongs to a farmer friend, and one of the women in the family garden program is sharing her water capturing system so I can water my plants. CEPAD provided some seeds, and I provide the labor. 

Even though hurricane Julia destroyed my first business, it did not destroy my new knowledge and skills, which I’ve been able to use to overcome the loss.

This is the core hope behind CEPAD’s work; that no matter what challenges these communities face, they would be able to use their new knowledge and skills to overcome, even if that looks different than what they originally planned.

CEPAD is an organization that practices what they preach. In my prayers, I remember CEPAD and ask God that my community could continue advancing and growing, especially in supporting women. It’s important because even today, we are still criticized by society. But I’ve learned in CEPAD’s programs that we matter and we can participate in whatever activity we want. 

Thank YOU for empowering women in rural Nicaragua. To join us in empowering even more women like Elicenia, join us here.