Hello family, friends, and whoever else might be reading this post.
It is officially the day before we leave for our trip to Guatemala and I am excited, nervous, scared, hesitant, eager and all of the above emotions I am sure the other girls are feeling. I think it’s because none of us really know what to expect when we get there. We are all going there with the hopes that we can inspire a group of 45 single mothers to believe in their potential to lift themselves from the impoverished lives they live. That is something none of us have any experience with, but if accomplished, it’s something that will not only change the lives of these women, but something that will change our lives as well.
We’ve tried to lay out a plan of how we can accomplish this goal. We thought about donating a computer and teaching them how to sell online, but then we realized that more than 50% of the women we will be working with haven’t made it past the 3rd grade so most of them don’t know how to read. We have considered donating supplies to them, but those supplies won’t last forever. We have come to accept the fact that these women don’t have many options, however, that doesn’t mean that there is no hope for them. We have decided to help them start and fund simple but effective businesses that they are interested in. With the help of an organization called Casa Del Alfarero these women have been given the opportunity to hone their skills in cooking, jewelry making, and hair styling that will help them launch their initiatives to become independent. We are there to help them with the financial aspects of the businesses as well as the management skills needed to use their skills and turn them into profit- making ventures.
I am proud to say that, despite all the obstacles Nourish has encountered this past year at UF, we are actually taking ACTION. Our words aren’t empty promises, we haven’t given up, and we continue to fight for the causes we believe in. I hope that in our quest to make a difference, we find a braver, more sympathetic, and more knowledgeable person within each of us. After all, it is said that adventures like these are what bring people to life.
Guatemala, here we come!
Nicol.
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