How Ana helped herself and her community with World Vision’s support
The community in the Camino project is known for the rubbish on the streets and lack of rubbish collection. Today the situation has improved, but in some communities, there is still rubbish on the streets. World Vision has worked with a few local government partners and with the police to improve the situation of the collection of rubbish and to provide education to the population, but due to some violence and drug gangs, sometimes the collection has to be interrupted.
Because of the training and support World Vision provided, Ana started working with recycled rubbish and has started making crafts with newspapers and any recycled paper. She has been selling her crafts in the local market, schools and in the community markets.
She has recently painted her house, changed the floor and made her house more secure for her family.
I felt speechless listening to her and watching how she improved her way of living and of her family as well. She is an example of being part of a community that is empowered and self-motivated.
"I considered myself a shy woman, afraid of speaking in public and interacting with the community", Ana says. “Having the opportunity to engage with World Vision projects, I have learnt so many skills, which helped me to improve my self-esteem and to make some changes into my well-being, as well as of my family.”
She says about the meetings, “they are an opportunity to value all people, including my family, and to join efforts for the well-being and development of children, adolescents and young people".
She is now recognised by the community for her leadership, kindness, skill and ability to express her ideas and her participation in training spaces, becoming an example to families and community.
For three years now Ana has worked with boys and girls from six to 12 years of age, carrying out training and crafts workshops oriented to the reuse of recyclable elements for the making of handcrafted objects; these processes have helped families to generate income.
Ana says, "the experience has been an opportunity to teach others to recycle and to take care of the environment: with each paper, bag and bottle that isn’t thrown away we are helping to promote respect for the environment and our surroundings".
Ana is known for being a responsible, enterprising, participative, dynamic and committed woman with excellent initiative and creativity.
When I left she gave thanks “for the institutional support provided by World Vision through its development professionals"; she expects "that many people experience the collective construction of a fairer community and the opportunity to change and commit themselves to be multipliers of knowledge" This is all possible because of Australian supporters committed to improving lives like that of Ana.