Interviews

In 2015 Karla Galeano joined the capacity training program, learning about the value of education and women’s rights, leadership, gender equality and better ways to raise children. She became empowered, and capable of holding difficult conversations with her peers…

Juana Chamorro and her husband Crino live in Los Planes with 3 of their 8 children. In 2023, when she began workshops in ViviendasLeon’s training program, she demonstrated a capacity for leadership, collaboration and responsibility among her 20 cohort members.

“My name is Abigail Benavidez, I am 30 years old and I live with my husband and three children. I am a housewife and I participate as a volunteer in a parent work group at the La Gallina school. Last year I was encouraged to participate in the Human Training Program that ViviendasLeón taught in our community”

Angélica Epifania García was in our first HCT program in 2023, and now has a new small farm with a greenhouse and open area for row crops. She is 29 years old, married, mother of two children, and lives in Ciénaga Grande, neighborhood adjacent to Los Planes, in the municipality of Santa Lucía Utatlán.

“When I started to participate in the HCT training process, I was a very shy woman with self-esteem problems. In our country Nicaragua, women have had few opportunities to work outside the home.”

My name is Alexandra Galeano and I live in the community of Troilo, Sutiava. I am 19 years old and married with a one-year-old girl. Being a homemaker doesn’t prevent me from continuing my education. I am currently in the 10th grade of secondary school at the Public College Salomon de la Selva in the city of León.

My vegetable production has created a better quality of life for us. Our family benefits and we benefit our community. We use the the profit from the vegetables that are sold for other household needs. I just recently invested in a tilapia fish production pond, a new small family project.”

Daisy has been in our program for 8 years. In that time she has become a successful organic farmer, started a beekeeping business with 3 other graduates of our program, and is now a successful businesswoman.

Cristina has been in our program for 6 years. In that time she has become a successful organic farmer, and a successful businesswoman, selling her produce to neighbors and families in her community.

Brenda Acosta, Committed to Helping Communities León, Nicaragua Hired in 2013, Brenda Acosta is ViviendasLeón’s (VL) accounting officer as well as the program coordinator for small business projects (SME). Acosta grew up in León, Nicaragua and attended the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua (UNAN-León). She lives in León with her husband and her 17-year-old daughter.