Profiles
(Translated from spanish)
My name is Jasmina Gurdian, I am the president of the Knitting for Nature Initiative. Being a part of this group has made a big impact on me. Firstly, I’ve become a protector of the turtles and the environment. Economically, I’ve become a provider for my home. I’ve become an enterprising woman and I have learned to value myself as a woman and to value my work. The experience of being president of this group has taught me to be patient and I have learned to endure the deferential characters of each woman. Thanks to God, he has given the wisdom to direct them. The experience of being president has also allowed me to relate to people of higher social levels than mine and has helped me conclude that in the end, we are all the same. I feel very proud to weave and to contribute to helping the environment. Reusing the discarded bags and making them into new products is a very beautiful thing.
"My name is Yadira del Socorro Ruiz Canales and I am 29 years old.
10 years ago, they were looking for women who had an interest in making bags out of plastic bags. This grabbed my attention because I like to learn how to craft things, but even more, I liked that we could help contribute to a clean environment and take care of turtles. Also, we could offer an income to our families.
I was 19 years old and I could not study because I didn't have enough money. I was living with my grandparents and the family income was very little so I wanted to start working and this was a good opportunity because I could do something I liked. When we first learned how to knit, it was very exhausting and many of the women did not even know how to pick up the needle correctly.
This has been a very beautiful experience, we have learned new things and managed to be entrepreneurial, dedicated, responsible business women. Although there have been difficult times with the group and on a personal level, they drive us to become better every day. There have been times when I wanted to throw in the towel, as we Nicaraguans say.
But all that we have achieved keeps me going because I am no longer the woman I was 10 years ago.
Being in this group of women, I have managed to build a house with my husband. Now we have 1 daughter and we help each other with all the expenses."
10 years ago, they were looking for women who had an interest in making bags out of plastic bags. This grabbed my attention because I like to learn how to craft things, but even more, I liked that we could help contribute to a clean environment and take care of turtles. Also, we could offer an income to our families.
I was 19 years old and I could not study because I didn't have enough money. I was living with my grandparents and the family income was very little so I wanted to start working and this was a good opportunity because I could do something I liked. When we first learned how to knit, it was very exhausting and many of the women did not even know how to pick up the needle correctly.
This has been a very beautiful experience, we have learned new things and managed to be entrepreneurial, dedicated, responsible business women. Although there have been difficult times with the group and on a personal level, they drive us to become better every day. There have been times when I wanted to throw in the towel, as we Nicaraguans say.
But all that we have achieved keeps me going because I am no longer the woman I was 10 years ago.
Being in this group of women, I have managed to build a house with my husband. Now we have 1 daughter and we help each other with all the expenses."
"My name is Nelsy Anielka Aguine C. I have 3 children and I am a single mother. My experience in the group is very extensive.
I joined this initiative in October 2007. At that time, I had many debts to pay and no income to help me. This was a good opportunity because I had my 2-month-old daughter so I worked at home and at the same time, I had a chance to be with my daughter.
Thanks to this work, I paid off many debts and got an income for my family. Today I can tell you that I have a job that helps me a lot. I thank God and the group of people who thought of saving the sea turtles."
I joined this initiative in October 2007. At that time, I had many debts to pay and no income to help me. This was a good opportunity because I had my 2-month-old daughter so I worked at home and at the same time, I had a chance to be with my daughter.
Thanks to this work, I paid off many debts and got an income for my family. Today I can tell you that I have a job that helps me a lot. I thank God and the group of people who thought of saving the sea turtles."
"My name is Gloria de la Cruz Velasquez. I have 10 years of experience in the group of knitting women.
I am a single mother and I have 9 children. For me, there were many benefits that attracted me to join the group of knitting women. I learned to become an entrepreneurial woman, to manage my money, and to improve economically.
Through the initiative, I have been trained in how to plan activities, how to improve my self-esteem, and how to express myself with other people. I have raised my children alone, and now my daughters have also learned how to knit the bags and some of them also belong to this group.
God bless you."
I am a single mother and I have 9 children. For me, there were many benefits that attracted me to join the group of knitting women. I learned to become an entrepreneurial woman, to manage my money, and to improve economically.
Through the initiative, I have been trained in how to plan activities, how to improve my self-esteem, and how to express myself with other people. I have raised my children alone, and now my daughters have also learned how to knit the bags and some of them also belong to this group.
God bless you."
"My name is Suyen Margarita Chavez Cortez. I am 33 years old and I’m married with 3 children: 2 boys and 1 girl. I joined this initiative after it was formed. By joining later, I was given the great opportunity of being able to help add more women to the group. I have learned how to work with the other hardworking women and to manage my time between family and work.
I have also received good benefits because I can help my husband with home expenses and providing for our children. I am also able to help the environment by collecting the plastic bags so that they do not harm the sea turtles.
I have benefited from the different people who have helped the group with trainings that have helped me become an entrepreneurial and successful woman."
I have also received good benefits because I can help my husband with home expenses and providing for our children. I am also able to help the environment by collecting the plastic bags so that they do not harm the sea turtles.
I have benefited from the different people who have helped the group with trainings that have helped me become an entrepreneurial and successful woman."
"My name is Maria Isabel Villagra Espinoza and I am 35 years old. I'm married and I have 2 children.
My experiences include: I have learned to work in groups, to be tolerant, to become aware of protecting and conserving sea turtles in the environment. I've also learned how to go out and sell bags in different places. Learning how to reuse bags has been a great experience for me because it protects the sea turtles from suffocating and at the same time, is a source of income for me and my whole family.
My achievements: I can now contribute financially to my home, I have learned how to feel safe in myself, I feel important, given the work we do for our community, and I’ve been to and know about places I never thought I would.
For me to be a knitting woman is a blessing from God."
My experiences include: I have learned to work in groups, to be tolerant, to become aware of protecting and conserving sea turtles in the environment. I've also learned how to go out and sell bags in different places. Learning how to reuse bags has been a great experience for me because it protects the sea turtles from suffocating and at the same time, is a source of income for me and my whole family.
My achievements: I can now contribute financially to my home, I have learned how to feel safe in myself, I feel important, given the work we do for our community, and I’ve been to and know about places I never thought I would.
For me to be a knitting woman is a blessing from God."
"My name is Adela Canales Chavez, I am 39 years old and married. My experiences are: I have learned to communicate with the other women. When I made the first bag and sold it, they gave me a wooden turtle as a reward. As time went on and I made more bags, some did not meet the same standards and I would be discouraged. We became motivated to move forward and reach new goals as a group. Since then, we have achieved a lot and have national as well as international clients.
Some achievements include: we have a place where we can work together and display our bags, we are building a stand where we will sell natural foods and refreshments, and we keep our community clean.
As a woman, I learned to express myself and be independent. I have learned to value myself and become financially helpful in my home."
Some achievements include: we have a place where we can work together and display our bags, we are building a stand where we will sell natural foods and refreshments, and we keep our community clean.
As a woman, I learned to express myself and be independent. I have learned to value myself and become financially helpful in my home."