“I am a fighter,” describes María Virginia, an entrepreneur and community leader. With bravery and determination, Virginia has managed to make her way into spaces traditionally dominated by men, such as the local council of her community, where she is currently the only woman participating actively.

“When I started, everyone told me, ‘You won’t last,'” she remembers. Today, she leads crucial tasks such as community security, a responsibility she takes on with commitment.

Virginia is a user of the integrated services provided by IEPADES (a local partner) and is part of the Mujeres Tejiendo Vidas Libres de Violencia (Women Weaving Lives Free from Violence) project, funded by USAID and implemented by CARE and local partners. As a participant, she received a cash transfer that allowed her to start her journey toward economic autonomy. “That money was the push I needed,” she assures.

With this capital, Virginia began selling orange juice, generating a more stable income, but her vision didn’t stop there. With the profits, she decided to diversify her business and invested in sewing materials, revisiting a skill she had learned some time ago.

“I already knew a little bit about sewing, but thanks to the courses I’ve taken with support from IEPADES, I perfected my skills,” she explains. Now, she makes aprons that have been well-received in her community, increasing her income and strengthening her economic autonomy.

Virginia’s effort and resilience are an example of the positive impact of cash transfers and comprehensive training in preventing gender-based violence. This support allowed her to start the path to reclaiming her life plans and envisioning a future full of possibilities. “Now I feel that I can dream bigger. My goal is to keep growing, both personally and professionally,” she shares with determination.