8/3/2019 Stories From CHOICE Humanitarian

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Ending Hunger

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Bolivia: Sum Qhora

Women are literally weaving their way to economic stability in theBolivian villages of Muramaya, Irpa Chacoma Grande, and Hichuraya.

The women have organized a group called Sum Q'hora. CHOICE is

working with Sum Qhora to enhance their products with appealing

styles, models, colors, sizes, and other features, and helping with the

documentation necessary for women to legally export their products.

The big news is that the efforts are starting to pay off. Sum Qhora is

now exporting goods to Italy and will soon be selling products in

other European countries and the U.S.

Many of the women in the organization are single, have children, and

are devoted to agriculture and to the care of their livestock. Often

their husbands have migrated to cities and even abroad to improve

their lives. Some have never returned. In many cases fathers andhusbands have completely abandoned their families.

Through Sum Qhora women are gaining hope for the future by

creating an ongoing source of income for their families and for their

communities.

We are c

onstantly improvingand soon we

will be a large organization with many women

who, like me, want to work hard to supporttheir children...

-Daysi Condori, President, Sum Q'hora

8/3/2019 Stories From CHOICE Humanitarian

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Mexico: Alejandro & Lupita

Alejandro and Lupitaa young couple living in Mexico with two smallchildrenhad a dream: to start a plant and animal nursery, even though

they are both blind.

CHOICE Humanitarian partnered with Alejandro and Lupita to help realize

their dream, providing unique training and access to the startup capital they

needed. Today they have 28 goats (20 adults and 8 kids), 6 rabbits, 10 sheep,

25 chickens, and plenty of plants, flowers and trees.

Their plan is to repay the loan for these animals and plants within the next

year. The goats provide 4 liters of milk a day, which they can sell, and they

can also sell the kids for 400 pesos each (about $34). The other animals can

also be sold for a profit.

Another project of focus for the family is raising plants, which are perfect for

Square Foot Gardening a method for growing a lot of fruits andvegetables in a small raised bed. Perfect for areas with poor soil and limited

space.

Alejandro and Lupita have a viable business which, for them, is literally

producing a way out of poverty.

Alejandro feeling the leaves to

determine if the plant needs water.

8/3/2019 Stories From CHOICE Humanitarian

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Guatemala: Chirixquitzac

The community of Chirixquitzac, Guatemala has come a long way since CHOICEfirst began working with them in 2009. Women are learning how to read and

write, families have access to clean drinking water, women are growing home

gardens, and the community has worked together to start small businesses to

help fund their goals.

Because of these successes, this community has done something unheard of for

the area: they borrowed a large sum of money from the government to

purchase the land theyve lived on for years, thus allowing them to cultivate it.

The loan is to be paid back within 10 years.

Jorge, CHOICE In-Country Director for Guatemala, said, "at first glance it seems

like an impossible task for a poor community where there are few economic

opportunities to repay such a debt, but they have a great desire to escape from

extreme poverty and that is powerful."

We are absolutely astonished to tell you that in the last year they have paid off

seventy-five percent of the loan! They used the proceeds from harvesting and

selling the Cardamom grown on the newly acquired land.

Said Jorge "It is wonderful to see and be part of a community that has not

surrendered to poverty, but are fighting for and are committed to achieving a

better quality of life."

An adult literacy class in Chirixquitzac.

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Kenya: Mama Sufina

"I was tired of burying people who died from preventable diseases," lamentedMama Sifuna, a new Community Health Worker in her village in Kenya. Members of

her village were constantly plagued with easily treatable health problems, but due

to lack of awareness and training, they were left to suffer.

All this began to change one afternoon when Mama Sifuna visited a neighboring

village, met with the Community Health Workers and saw the benefits gained from

their services. Given the opportunity to join their ranks, she eagerly attended a five-

day training organized by CHOICE Humanitarian, the Ministry of Health, and Hope

Alliance, and in February 2011 became a Community Health Worker herself.

Recently, CHOICE caught up with Mama Sifuna to see how she was using her new

training. "Mwanasiti was very ill and confined to her house with no medicine or

hope of recovery," she explained. "However, using my knowledge and persistence

with the family, I was able to convince them to stop using traditional medicine and

to see a clinician from the health center. The doctor's diagnosis was a seriousillness, but one that could be treated with the right medication and good nutrition.

Mama Sifuna helped nurse her new friend and patient, utilizing her new knowledge

and own resources to ensure she received proper medication and food.

Mwanasiti says she owes her life to Mama Sifuna, who smiles and says she was only

doing her job. Now Mama Sifuna works in 8 villages and looks after 1,300 people!

Mama Sufina at work.

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Kenya: The Lumukani

Womens GroupIn the semi-arid area of Samburu, Kenya, water is a scarce resource. The villagers ofEgu were forced to trek long distances - up to 6 miles - just to get their daily water,

taking valuable time out of their day. Many years ago CHOICE partnered with the

village of Egu to create a solution: a water system.

Today, that water system is an income-generating enterprise, thanks to Sitirose Tuva

and her Lumukani Women's Group. The women are using the new water source to

run a successful agri-business. They plant, harvest and sell various vegetables such

as spinach, greens and sweet potatoes - earning an average of $25 dollars a day, or

$175 per week. This money is used to feed their families and send their children to

school - a prospect impossible to imagine just a few years ago.

Says Miss Tuva, "The CHOICE Humanitarian training gave me the lessons and

confidence I needed to run this program successfully. I learned to be empowered,

and gained organizational skills, which were instrumental in running the group."

These women are already making plans to improve their business, and have hopes

of purchasing new equipment once they have saved enough money. Miss Tuva

speaks with pride of the feelings of empowerment these women have gained from

their business. They know they are contributing towards the betterment of their

families, as well as the community. This is a beautiful example of how education and

a few resources can blossom into opportunity, ingenuity, and a better future.

Miss Tuva, right, and the

LumukaniWomens Group

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Nepal: Divyapuri Village

One way CHOICE Humanitarian assists rural communities is by helping them to see theresources and possibilities around them. Two years ago, CHOICE helped the village of

Divyapuri, Nepal to do just this. The resource is a simple plant called Jatropha.

The oil extracted from the seeds of the Jatropha plant is used to make biodiesel for

standard diesel engines as well as a low carbon alternative to heating oil. Jatropha is

resistant to drought, pests, produces high yielding seeds containing an average of 35%

oil and grows well in Nepal.

The progress has been phenomenal. The community was trained on how to grow and

cultivate the Jatropha plant - from starting the plants with seeds in a nursery, to later

harvesting and selling the seeds. Since this projects inception, Divyapuri villagers have

purchased and planted 146,000 plants and have grown an additional 45,000 plants in

their own nursery. The plants are growing well and will begin yielding seeds next year.

In the mean time, the community has made connections with an oil expelling factory

that has committed to purchase their seeds. Said community leader, Til Prasad Pathak,The community plans to expand the Jatropha plantation and set up their own oil

expelling machine.

This project will have a lasting impact on the 6,500 people who live in Divyapuri,

setting them on a path to bring themselves out of poverty.

The oil extracted from the seeds

of the Jatropha plant is used to

make biodiesel for standard

diesel engines.

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