Historias – Haciendo Camino

Mariana, entrepreneur and referente

MARIANA, ENTREPRENEUR AND REFERENTE

Mariana has 6 kids. She reached our Center in “Barrio Autonomía” 3 years ago to join our sewing workshop. Then, she also joined the cooking workshop and learnt baking and patisserie. She brought home the skills she learnt and taught her daughters how to cook.

During the pandemic, they started selling a type of sweet sandwich called “alfajores”, cakes, sponge cakes, pies and bread. Her home economy was not good. Her husband’s salary was not enough to support the entire family, so she decided to look for a job.

"I came to the sewing workshop after a very tough night. I had spoken to my husband, and he told me he valued everything I did for the family, but he needed me to start working so we could pay our home bills and expenses. I told him I wanted to work, but at the same time I kept thinking: ‘who would ever hire me in my 40s?’ When I reached Haciendo Camino Center, they proposed I could be the referent for the «Early Home-Schooling Program». I could do nothing but cry with excitement and gratefulness, as this opportunity came right when I needed it the most".

Based on her commitment, Haciendo Camino invited her to join our professional team in the «Early Home-Schooling Program». This program fosters children learning through playing with their parents or caretakers. She visits the program families every fortnight, generating communication and support spaces, and checking how the different skills learnt are applied on a daily basis.

Proud of Aaron

PROUD OF AARON

Today, we are happy to tell you Aaron’s story. Aaron reached our Center in Taco Pozo when he was just 2 months old. Suffering mild malnutrition, he joined our Nutrition Program.

His mother, Margarita, has always been invested in his recovery and followed thoroughly each recommendation she received from our team. As a result, following two years and a half of team efforts,

Aaron finished his treatment with the normal size and weight according to his age. We are all very proud of this achievement!

Francisco`s diagnosis

FRANCISCO’S DIAGNOSIS

Natalí Pumara is a pediatrician and volunteers in our Center at Suncho Corral. Once each month, she Natali travels to Tucumán to provide medical attention to the families in our program. That’s how she met Francisco, a 3-year-old kid in our Nutrition Program.

"As soon as I checked him, I noticed he was suffering from serious a heart condition, and it was a miracle that he was still alive. Francisco didn’t receive regular medical attention and, since his birth, several hospitals had postponed the intervention he needed".

Natalí managed to get Francisco the surgery he needed in Hospital del Niño Jesús, in San Miguel de Tucumán, which was a success. Francisco was released from the hospital and went back to his home in Suncho Corral. Having had the medical attention he needed in the right time, he is now able to have a normal life and enjoy playing with his friends every day.

Rosana found her passion: Cooking

ROSANA FOUND HER PASSION: COOKING

“When I started coming to the Center, I didn’t have any ability. Here, I learnt how to sew clothes for my children, how to look after their health. I also found my passion: cooking. Our teacher shows us how to prepare easy recipes, with few ingredients, which taste great. When I go back home, I practice and cook products for selling. My husband helps me by delivering my products. We complement each other that way. Thanks to the team in Haciendo Camino, I have become a different person. Here I find the support to do what I love. Fiore, the social worker, and I made my first CV and sent it to different restaurants. My dream is to get a job.”

28-year-old Rosana, one of the mothers participating in our trade workshops at our Centers in Santiago Capital.

Nancy, one of the first students in our workshops

NANCY, ONE OF THE FIRST STUDENTS IN OUR WORKSHOPS

Nancy Córdoba is one of the very first student in our trade workshops at our Center in Monte Quemado, and has been charmed by the workshops ever since.

“I could hardly wait until the two weeks between classes passed by”.

She was not able to finish primary school as she had to start working as a maid when she was only 11, to bring money to her home. As a child, she learnt handcrafting, and wanted to improve. In the trades workshop, Nancy didn’t just get knowledge, but also confidence. When the workshops teacher resigned, Haciendo Camino thought it was Nancy’s chance.

Today, Nancy’s effort and performance, got her a job teaching different sewing and handcrafts workshops in Haciendo Camino. Nancy is a key piece of the Haciendo Camino team. She is currently teaching mothers how to make baby trousseaus and prints on fabric, as well as using a sewing machine.

“I really like being able to train mothers, and I feel proud of them when I see the handcrafts they make. Here they see their self-esteem grow, as they learn to do usefull things”.

Esther, mother and artisan

ESTHER, MOTHER AND ARTISAN

23-year-old Esther came to our Center in Monte Quemado when she was pregnant with her daughter Alfonsina. And she still comes to the Center.

She walks for kilometers with her, now 1-year-old daughter just to come to the Center and bring Alfonsina to the Nutrition Program to get her weight controlled. Esther also learns how to feed her daughter.

Esther also attends the sewing workshop, where she creates handbags, keychains, makeup bags, and pencil cases. She then goes back home and makes different products to give as gifts, or to sell and have her own income.

Meet Estela and her vegetable patch

MEET ESTELA AND HER VEGETABLE PATCH!

Estela is 36 and lives in Monte Quemado. She has been attending our Center for 5 years, and, in collaboration with INTA’s “Prohuerta Program”, she receives seeds to keep her vegetable patch growing steady at home.

Her vegetable patch grows chards, squash, beetroots, carrots, onions, and parsley, which she uses to make pies and casseroles for her families.

"Every day, I water the patch early in the morning and in the afternoon, so the sun won’t ruin the leaves. It’s been raining recently, and the vegetables have grown a lot. I got two big squashes, and there are a few more, but they are still green".

Rosa and her kid Teo

ROSA AND HER KID TEO

Rosa is 29. She has been attending our Center in Pampa de los Guanacos for a year and a half. She heard about us from one of her neighbors and started taking her then 3-month-old kid, Teo, to the Nutrition Program.

She helps preparing afternoon meals for other mothers and children in the programs. “I made friends here, and I have a space to talk and be heard”, she said.