
Los Planes Community, Santa Lucia Utatlán, Guatemala
Doña Cristina, has been a single mother with two daughters for many years. She participated in our Capacity Training program in 2023, graduated, and then began creating her garden near her house.
After learning the basics of vegetable farming while including her two children in that process, she harvested her first crops in October. She took a big step in November by marrying Pedro, who has been a source of support in her life. Together they have formed a new family, a space full of love and teamwork.

A good example is Cristina’s garden. Always passionate about agriculture, she decided to move her garden close to her new house to make better use of the space and make it grow. Thanks to the collaboration of Pedro, who has been actively involved in the project, the garden has changed location, and grown in size.
This story is about how teamwork has strengthened family ties. Although women were initially the protagonists in the process of forming the gardens, now our participants, like Cristina, have managed to involve their husbands and children. This act of inclusion has improved family relationships. In addition to sharing responsibilities, they also enjoy the fruits of their work together, both nutritional and emotional.
Cristina and her husband Pedro demonstrate that, although women have always been able to get ahead on their own, teamwork within the family has a transformative power. Not only is the quality of life improved through more productive gardens, but the family bond is also strengthened, creating a more united and healthy environment.
Cristina’s garden shows how a small change, such as moving a garden to a larger space, can generate great benefits: better nutrition, greater economic stability and a more united family. Today, with the support of her husband, Cristina enjoys seeing how her family is actively involved, not only in the care of the garden, but in every aspect of their daily life.

Teamwork, mutual support and family unity are the keys to making each project grow and prosper. Doña Cristina, together with her husband Pedro, reminds us that the strength of the family can transform any challenge into an opportunity for growth.