When Lidia was just a baby, her father died — leaving her mother to provide for her and her five siblings. Growing up in Guatemala, Lidia did not have the time or resources to attend school.
Without access to education, Lidia had a difficult time finding a job, so she helped her mother clean houses and worked in the fields. But Lidia kept her vision of overcoming her circumstances and starting her own business.
Lidia started her own business by selling ice cream and chicken out of a refrigerator that she borrowed from someone in her community. Unfortunately, the person who lent her the refrigerator eventually had to sell it because they needed money. Lidia didn’t know what to do.
Living in Guatemala
Guatemala is a country grappling with high poverty rates and agriculture challenges. Two-thirds of the population (17.9 million) lives on less than $2 per day. Food insecurity is a pressing issue, especially in rural areas where limited infrastructure and access to resources make people more vulnerable.
Convoy of Hope started working in Guatemala initially through disaster response. Then in 2019 — through strong partnerships — Convoy established Children’s Feeding, Women’s Empowerment, and Agriculture initiatives. Through these programs, Convoy has directly addressed malnutrition and generational poverty in Guatemala.
A Story of Transformation
When Lidia got married, she and her husband did not have enough resources to support their children. They decided to make payments on a small refrigerator so Lidia could start her business again. She started selling ice cream, jellies, and Choco Frutas, but the small refrigerator was not enough to sustain her business.
But her life was changed when a leader in Lidia’s community introduced her to Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment program. There, Lidia learned vital skills to help her run her business and received seed capital in the form of a larger refrigerator.
“I am grateful to God and Convoy of Hope for blessing my life and that of my family,” Lidia said. “They [gave] me the opportunity to undertake … they gave me the seed capital, which has been the greatest gift that I have received in my life.”
Because of your generosity, Lidia can break the cycle of generational poverty in her family and fulfill her dreams of owning her own business. To help more women like Lidia achieve their goals and provide for their families, click here.
