Check out this video on the IHF Dartmouth chapter’s work in Yambiro, Ecuador. Our partner, the Ali Shungu Foundation, was so pleased with the work the chapter did, the community showed up in impressive numbers for the projects, and the IHF couldn’t be more proud of their work!
http://www.alishungufoundation.com/New/dartmouth/index.html
We maintained our friendship with Natalia and Chonita over the years - always checking on how they were doing and making small talk whenever we made a site visit, but when we came back to Santiago in August of 2007 for a full year, we began to see much more of Natalia, Chonita, and Chonita’s little brother, Domingo. Each time, Natalia told me more about her situation, including the seriousness of her husband’s condition and the lack of support from her family and in-laws. She had heard about a rehab program which had been successful for some other notorious Santiago alcoholics, and she wanted to send her husband, Max to this program. I sat quietly, thinking about her roundabout request for a loan of Q1200 ($160) for the three months of rehab while I watched little Chonita and Domingo, clearly underfed, devour six bananas in one sitting. I then agreed to the request and told her that she didn’t have to pay me back; but of course, Natalia continued offering to do a variety of things on my behalf.
Three months later, Max returned to his family and I finally met him. He had noticeable symptoms of liver damage and lots of unexplained pain, but he was extremely grateful to everyone. He began attending Alcoholics Anonymous or his family’s church on a nightly basis and has since been actively working or searching for work and providing for his family. He is now almost eight months sober.
Through Natalia’s “volunteer” work, I realized that she had a special skill with a measuring tape and a good eye for textile quality. Apparently, Natalia had spent a few years working in a sweatshop in Guatemala City. So, when the IHF’s Just Apparel project was in need of a quality control manager, she was a perfect fit (and of course the project pays her a living wage and ensure a relaxed working environment!). She has been working as a leader with Just Apparel since April and her family is now making a consistent living wage. Chonita has started school, the family moved into a new house in the government funded Post Hurricane Stan reconstruction site (yes, they were victims of the 2005 mudslide as well), and Max is contributing to the family instead of taking from it.
While this is a story of one family, it is representative of the kinds of long-term relationships that stem from the long-term partnership model of the IHF. These relationships are not only valuable in and of themselves (for all parties involved); they also allow us to move beyond generalities and demographics into unique stories and respond to the specific needs of specific people. These small steps and individual stories each contribute to a larger process of empowerment and grassroots change.
We met Natalia in 2005 when the IHF was working primarily with children in Santiago Atitlan. Natalia was the mother of one of the youngest children we received in the after school program and one of the biggest pains in my neck. Chonita, then 2.5 years old, was always crying, screaming, and hitting the other children. Despite the fact that her older cousins were always there to help her, she was never pleased. Finally, I got the chance to speak with her mother, Natalia, one of the best female Spanish speakers in this predominantly Tzutujil speaking community (most women in the community don’t understand the national language of Spanish). Natalia told me that Chonita didn’t talk much yet, but when she did, she was always complaining about how much her tummy hurt. “Ok, why don’t we just take her over to the hospitalito and have her stool tested?” I said with a knowing tone. I myself had just tested positive for giardia, a common parasite in the area. “No,” Natalia said, “We just don’t have enough money.” I proceeded to convince her not to worry about it that the Hospitalito was sponsored by other foreigners and they would give her a significant discount. She was only persuaded when I promised to accompany her and Chonita to the hospital. While we were in the waiting room, Natalia explained why it was that didn’t have enough money — her husband was one of the town drunks and drug addicts and he stole from her every time she had a few quetzales — he even stole her clothes and sold them for money!
After the positive parasite diagnosis came back, the final cost of the test, consultation and medicine was Q12 (about $1.60). Natalia only had Q2 to her name (about $0.27), so I told her not to worry about it and paid the tab without thinking twice. I then made sure I explained thoroughly to Natalia how to avoid contracting parasites yet again.
The next day she brought me two frog keychains made out of beads. She told me that she had made them for me since she couldn’t pay me back in cash. Maybe, she argued, I could sell them in the United States for more and make some money. Over the next few weeks, Chonita quickly became my favorite among the kids. She was always laughing, playing, and giving out hugs.
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