“I am a woman proud of myself, working in what I love,” says Vilma Teni while she weaves. From a small village in Alta Verapaz, Vilma has transformed her life and the lives of other women.

Vilma, mother of a 10-year-old girl, recalls with satisfaction how her life has changed. “Now we live in a new place, built with sheets of metal and wooden posts; we no longer get rain inside,” she shares, holding her daughter’s hands with a smile.

With the support of a cash transfer, she received through the project Mujeres Tejiendo Vidas Libres de Violencia (Women Weaving Lives Free from Violence), Vilma bought the necessary materials for weaving. What was left over, she invested in a community savings group. By generating interest, she was able to double her money and build her home. “I never imagined having my own house,” she confesses with a look of pride.

Today, Vilma not only supports her family with her business but also generates employment for other women in her community. “I make 6 to 8 güipiles (traditional Maya blouses) a week, so I offer work to other women. I give them the threads, they weave them, and I pay them,” she explains. Currently, her business benefits seven women who also find in weaving a source of income and a path toward autonomy.

“As women, we have many needs, and many of us have faced violence,” says Vilma, reflecting on her own experience and that of other women in Alta Verapaz, one of the departments with the highest rates of violence against women in Guatemala.

However, her active participation in training workshops conducted by CICAM (a local partner) has allowed her to rethink her vision of life. “These works hops have opened my mind. I’ve learned how my business can grow and be sustainable, and to value who I am as a woman and demand my rights.”

With her eyes set on the future, Vilma dreams of building a larger and more comfortable workshop so that the women who collaborate with her can work in a safe and dignified space. “I want to keep growing and helping more women who need it,” she expresses with hope.

“I am a woman who lives free of violence and works in what she is passionate about,” concludes Vilma. Today, her story reflects her ability to overcome challenges and her leadership in opening paths for change in her community.