Income Generation
Poor families in Guatemala stay poor because they cannot accumulate money or resources to break out of poverty; this is referred to as the poverty trap. If families can break out of this cycle, they are often able to stay out of poverty in the long-term.
Mujerave's income generation program trains local women on the production of organic fertilizer and the maintenance of crops in a greenhouse. Women sell the excess produce in local markets, creating a sustainable income stream.
Women like Ericka (far right) report being able to save money for the first time thanks to Mujerave's Income Generation Program.
The greenhouse projects are accompanied by training sessions. Women are more capable of growing more diverse foods as a result of these trainings. With new crops growing, diets diversify. In the long-term, we hope to see our projects contribute to a reduction in malnutrition rates in local communities, in addition to creating income for unemployed women.
According to the UN, women reinvest 90 cents of every dollar earned in their families, compared with 35 cents for men.
María balances the pH level of her soil prior to planting 250 tomato seedlings. These plants will generate sustainable income for her family.
When women in Guatemala are economically empowered, they are better positioned to improve their communities.
Following global patterns of women reinvesting their income in their family's health and well-being, women in Guatemala report that the new income purchases basic food staples for their family, clothing, and shoes for children in the family. They also report the ability to save for medical emergencies, and for costs associated with their children's education.