Independence is key for women to improve their quality of life, that of their families, and the conditions of their housing. This is confirmed by Yacelia, who has a small sewing workshop in Ciudad Sandino, Managua and with the income she generates she supplies all her needs.
“I have always liked sewing, I practically learned on my own and I have been polishing myself little by little, now people know my work and they order me”, she tells us excitedly. Yacelia, is part of ICW Nicaragua, an organization that works with women living with HIV.
Yacelia was one of the 40 women who joined forces with Habitat Nicaragua to improve the conditions of her business, as part of the OVG Project for women entrepreneurs from vulnerable groups, which emerged in 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic crisis, when Habitat received a request for support from the Federation of Women with Disabilities FEMUCADI and the ICW Latin American Network of people living with HIV.
“At that time we had the resources to support a number of women who were in a very serious crisis due to not being able to go out to work, and since these women are very vulnerable to contagion, we included them in the support we gave at that time. In this fiscal year 2021 as continuity, the business areas of 40 women with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and women with HIV were strengthened”, explains Nancy Arostegui, Manager of Programs for Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua.
The strengthening consisted of providing the women with an area of 9 square meters so that their undertakings would be in better condition. In the case of Yacelia, she had a sewing workshop in her living room, and she had already had several problems because her nephews, playing, damaged parts of the machines and she had to invest the profits in repairs.
After the project, the sewing workshop was left in an independent, closed space and Yacelia’s extra earnings were invested in buying two more machines that allow her to do more work and generate more income.
The 40 women entrepreneurs who were endowed with a module were from the municipalities of Managua, such as Ciudad Sandino, Mateare and Xiloá, and included the city of Masaya and Juigalpa, Chontales.
Strengthening and support
The women also received capacity building in financial education, how to safely build their homes progressively, and the effects of climate change. They also received hygiene and protection kits against Covid.
“We are interested in continuing to support these groups of women, they are very interested in the issue of entrepreneurship and improving business areas, obviously it is an important strategy to be able to not only improve the conditions of them and their families. The support of donors is a key piece in all this effort to reach the most vulnerable, so we invite you to continue hand in hand with Habitat Nicaragua”. Nancy Arostegui, Program Manager for Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua”.
Nancy Arostegui, Program Manager for Habitat for Humanity Nicaragua.
