Behrhorst Partners for Development Updates http://www.behrhorst.org Updates from Behrhorst Partners for Development in Guatemala. April Update http://www.behrhorst.org/updates___stories/view/465 Fri, 11 May 2012 09:54:00 CDT http://www.behrhorst.org/updates___stories?blogm=view&blogid=465
April 2012
María Humberta Estrada Velazco
Cambalcol, San Martín Jilotepeque

My name is María Humberta Estrada Velazco and I was born in 1980 in Cambalcol, where I have lived all my life. I got married to José Abundio López in 1999; my first daughter was born when I was 21 and I have now have four children.
  
ABPD has been training women in my village in different areas that are very helpful to us. We have learned how to improve the hygiene conditions at our homes, to do handicrafts like embroidery and to make jams. We have also learned how to cook nutritious recipes so now, even with little resources, we can provide our children vegetables and herbs which will help them to be healthy and grow.
  
A great thing is that now we have family gardens. We have learned how to produce our own vegetables and how to make natural fertilizers and pesticides. We also learned about chaya a very nutritious plant that we use when making omelets or beans and rice.
  
Thanks to ABPD, after two years of training, I became a leader of the group of women, so now I have more recognition by the whole community and I participate at the important community activities.  I have received many benefits from ABPD and have learned to be a better mother. Thanks to the technicians who work with us, to the staff at the office and to the donors who help us with food, seeds and materials for our handicrafts. I only could finish 6th grade  when I was a child but with the support from ABPD have learned many important things that have changed my life.
 
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