Juana Manuela, affectionately known as Doña Juanita, is a single mother of five daughters and one son. Her life is a testament to courage and hope. Several years ago, she made the difficult decision to separate from her husband to protect her physical and emotional well-being. With courage, she chose to move forward alone, dedicating all her effort and love to her children.
Always active and eager to learn, she joined a sewing group where she discovered a passion: designing and decorating blouses. For a long time, she dreamed of owning her own sewing machine, which would allow her to create and sell her designs to support her family.
Her perseverance in the workshops paid off after almost two years of waiting: three months ago, she received her long-awaited sewing machine, an achievement that filled her life with happiness and new opportunities.
That same desire for self-improvement led her to ViviendasLeón, where she decided to join the program. She responsibly participated in the HCT workshops and, thanks to her dedication, received an open-field garden plot. Her efforts paid off: she produced fresh vegetables that not only fed her family but were also sought after by her neighbors. Even so, she dreamed big and longed to have a greenhouse to grow tomatoes and bell peppers.
Her perseverance, commitment, and resilience earned her that greenhouse in 2025.. Today, Doña Juanita works joyfully in her open-field garden and in her new production space. Her children support her in the care, maintenance, and construction, learning alongside her that honest work and dedication open doors even in the midst of difficulties.
Currently, the family eats what they produce, but they also generate income by selling their harvests. Inspired by her mother’s example, her second daughter opened a small shop in their neighborhood, where she sells basic products such as rice, beans, vegetables, and eggs.
Doña Juanita’s story is the story of a woman who never gave up, who turned challenges into opportunities, and who today is an example of personal strength and love for her children and her community.
Juana Manuela in her own words:
“My name is Juana Manuela Puac Calel, and I am originally from Santa Lucía Utatlán. I have five girls and one boy. I am a single mother, and I am currently part of the ViviendasLeón program. I am fighting alongside my children to get ahead.
What brought me to ViviendasLeón was attending the meetings, where I was invited to participate in the training sessions. At that time, I felt very sad and lonely as a single mother; sadness almost overwhelmed me. But when I started going to the training sessions, everything changed: I began to laugh and to feel better.
Before, I was shy and had trouble expressing myself. Everything made me sad, but there I found joy and motivation. I have been participating in the training sessions for three years now, and I received my garden. They gave me everything I needed to get started, and now almost everything is in my hands.”
