With a smile full of pride, Matilde, a women survivor of domestic violence, feeds the turkeys and chickens she has raised with dedication. A few days ago, she sold one of her largest turkeys, a sale that allows her to contribute financially to her household. “Thanks to my work, I can contribute to the well-being of my family, and that fills me with joy,” she says.

Matilde is a resilient and enterprising woman from the department of Alta Verapaz, who has shown that, with determination, it is possible to build new opportunities. Before starting her backyard animal farming business, she worked as a laundress. “That job was very tiring and poorly paid, and it never allowed me to cover my needs. I felt like a burden to my daughter,” she recalls.

With initial support from the project Mujeres Tejiendo Vidas Libres de Violencia (Women Weaving Lives Free from Violence), funded by USAID and implemented by CARE, Matilde was able to invest in 20 chickens and a sack of feed. With the sales and profits generated, she expanded her business to include turkeys, which are more profitable in her community.

Matilde was able to increase her monthly income by 200%, and she also decided to diversify her economic activities by investing in cuts of meat and güipiles (traditional Mayan blouses), which her daughter helps her sell.

“In the past holiday season, I had everything ready for sale. I felt calmer and more hopeful,” she shares. Despite not knowing how to read or write, this has not been an obstacle. “My daughter supports me and taught me how to make calculations to give the correct change,” she explains.

Matilde has also decided to allocate part of her income to her family’s future. “With what I earn, I support my grandchildren’s studies because I want them to have more opportunities and not face the same difficulties I had,” she says.

Today, Matilde not only feels financially stronger but also empowered to continue building a better future. “The support we receive opens doors for women like me to move forward. Now I know I have the ability to achieve my goals and live with dignity.”

With a look toward the future, she concludes: “The most important thing is that today I live happily and freely, with the hope that we can always be better.”

With a smile full of pride, Matilde, a women survivor of domestic violence, feeds the turkeys and chickens she has raised with dedication. A few days ago, she sold one of her largest turkeys, a sale that allows her to contribute financially to her household. “Thanks to my work, I can contribute to the well-being of my family, and that fills me with joy,” she says.

Matilde is a resilient and enterprising woman from the department of Alta Verapaz, who has shown that, with determination, it is possible to build new opportunities. Before starting her backyard animal farming business, she worked as a laundress. “That job was very tiring and poorly paid, and it never allowed me to cover my needs. I felt like a burden to my daughter,” she recalls.

With initial support from the project Mujeres Tejiendo Vidas Libres de Violencia (Women Weaving Lives Free from Violence), funded by USAID and implemented by CARE, Matilde was able to invest in 20 chickens and a sack of feed. With the sales and profits generated, she expanded her business to include turkeys, which are more profitable in her community.

Matilde was able to increase her monthly income by 200%, and she also decided to diversify her economic activities by investing in cuts of meat and güipiles (traditional Mayan blouses), which her daughter helps her sell.

“In the past holiday season, I had everything ready for sale. I felt calmer and more hopeful,” she shares. Despite not knowing how to read or write, this has not been an obstacle. “My daughter supports me and taught me how to make calculations to give the correct change,” she explains.

Matilde has also decided to allocate part of her income to her family’s future. “With what I earn, I support my grandchildren’s studies because I want them to have more opportunities and not face the same difficulties I had,” she says.

Today, Matilde not only feels financially stronger but also empowered to continue building a better future. “The support we receive opens doors for women like me to move forward. Now I know I have the ability to achieve my goals and live with dignity.”

With a look toward the future, she concludes: “The most important thing is that today I live happily and freely, with the hope that we can always be better.”