Chonita and Natalia
Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Guatemala Partnership Manager
When we met Chonita, she was a grumpy, unpleasant child who had a habit of screaming at anyone who interrupted her coloring or otherwise bothered her. Heidi and I, along with the other IHF volunteers in Santiago in the summer of 2005, did not look forward to Chonita’s visits to the IHF's afternoon sessions with the kids of Panabaj. She cast a bit of a cloud over the otherwise-fun proceedings.
One day, we had the chance to meet Chonita’s mother Natalia. She is a tiny woman even by Guatemalan standards, but she speaks more Spanish than most women in Santiago, and we found her quite engaging. Naturally, our conversation turned to Chonita. She told us that Chonita didn’t talk much at home, but when she did, she would repeat over and over, “My tummy hurts!” Worried by Chonita’s persistent pain, we urged Natalia to visit the local hospital. She told us that because the handicraft market was so poor and her husband wasted any money they had on drugs and alcohol, she had no money to pay for medical treatment.
We insisted that Natalia come along with us to the hospital, where we had made quite a few friends due to our persistent digestive tract issues. When all was said and done, it cost 12 quetzales ($1.60) to get Chonita a parasite test. The treatment was free. In return for the money that we gave for Chonita’s visit to the doctor, Natalia gave us two beaded key chains that she had been unable to sell.
Two years later, Heidi and I returned to Santiago to launch the IHF’s Just Apparel initiative. One day, as we walked down the street, a voice suddenly began to chant, “Hei-di! Hei-di! Hei-di!” We turned around to find Chonita, Natalia, and a small two-year-old boy who turned out to be Chonita’s little brother Domingo, an energetic rascal who must have been just a twinkle in Natalia’s eye when we first met her. Naturally, we stopped to catch up with these old friends (and play with the irresistibly fun-loving Chonita). We heard from Natalia that her husband was still unable to provide any sort of income for the family. Just as had been the case in 2005, her handicrafts could not earn enough for the family to get by.
Discouraged by the news from Natalia, we decided to provide financial support for treatment for her husband at a private clinic. The process was long, however, and it did nothing to alleviate the immediate needs of Natalia and her two kids. After several months, Just Apparel began to grow to the point where we needed someone to help out with quality control. We recalled that Natalia had learned much of her Spanish working in a garment factory near Guatemala City. One day when Natalia came to visit, we offered her a job at JA. The IHF's commitment to long-term relationships put us in a great position to employ a highly qualified individual, and it gave Natalia a chance to provide for her family.
Natalia comes in to work at the JA office four hours a day now. It is the first steady job she has had in years. Meanwhile, Chonita is learning Spanish at a local preschool, and Domingo gets to spend time with his now-sober dad.
Click below to support the IHF's work with people like Chonita and Natalia:
When we met Chonita, she was a grumpy, unpleasant child who had a habit of screaming at anyone who interrupted her coloring or otherwise bothered her. Heidi and I, along with the other IHF volunteers in Santiago in the summer of 2005, did not look forward to Chonita’s visits to the IHF's afternoon sessions with the kids of Panabaj. She cast a bit of a cloud over the otherwise-fun proceedings.
One day, we had the chance to meet Chonita’s mother Natalia. She is a tiny woman even by Guatemalan standards, but she speaks more Spanish than most women in Santiago, and we found her quite engaging. Naturally, our conversation turned to Chonita. She told us that Chonita didn’t talk much at home, but when she did, she would repeat over and over, “My tummy hurts!” Worried by Chonita’s persistent pain, we urged Natalia to visit the local hospital. She told us that because the handicraft market was so poor and her husband wasted any money they had on drugs and alcohol, she had no money to pay for medical treatment.We insisted that Natalia come along with us to the hospital, where we had made quite a few friends due to our persistent digestive tract issues. When all was said and done, it cost 12 quetzales ($1.60) to get Chonita a parasite test. The treatment was free. In return for the money that we gave for Chonita’s visit to the doctor, Natalia gave us two beaded key chains that she had been unable to sell.
Two years later, Heidi and I returned to Santiago to launch the IHF’s Just Apparel initiative. One day, as we walked down the street, a voice suddenly began to chant, “Hei-di! Hei-di! Hei-di!” We turned around to find Chonita, Natalia, and a small two-year-old boy who turned out to be Chonita’s little brother Domingo, an energetic rascal who must have been just a twinkle in Natalia’s eye when we first met her. Naturally, we stopped to catch up with these old friends (and play with the irresistibly fun-loving Chonita). We heard from Natalia that her husband was still unable to provide any sort of income for the family. Just as had been the case in 2005, her handicrafts could not earn enough for the family to get by.
Discouraged by the news from Natalia, we decided to provide financial support for treatment for her husband at a private clinic. The process was long, however, and it did nothing to alleviate the immediate needs of Natalia and her two kids. After several months, Just Apparel began to grow to the point where we needed someone to help out with quality control. We recalled that Natalia had learned much of her Spanish working in a garment factory near Guatemala City. One day when Natalia came to visit, we offered her a job at JA. The IHF's commitment to long-term relationships put us in a great position to employ a highly qualified individual, and it gave Natalia a chance to provide for her family.
Natalia comes in to work at the JA office four hours a day now. It is the first steady job she has had in years. Meanwhile, Chonita is learning Spanish at a local preschool, and Domingo gets to spend time with his now-sober dad.
Click below to support the IHF's work with people like Chonita and Natalia:
