Angela Barrios -- making handicrafts in Suarurito.
Photo: Mary Catherine Hinds/CWS |
Like Rena Cortez, Angela Barrios makes handicrafts as a method of generating income for her family.
The farmers in Angela’s village grow corn. Along with farmers from fifteen surrounding communities, they now use a new agricultural center for processing and storing corn. CWS partner Center of Regional Studies for Development of Tarija (CER-DET) provided the expertise of agronomists and small grants for the milling and storage equipment. The farmers supplied the labor for the construction.
Until the center was built, farmers grew only as much corn as they could store and use for their own family's needs. Now with the center's new corn silos, the farmers can increase their production, knowing that the co-op will buy it. They are also able to hold onto the corn and sell to larger markets when the price is higher. The farmers share the center's machinery to process, mill and bag the corn.
Angela used to walk ten kilometers or more once a month to buy a supply of corn for her family’s meals. She would leave at 8 o'clock and not return until the afternoon, after paying a price of 60 pesos. Today she buys her corn, at just two-thirds of the old price, from the corn cooperative in her community of Suarurito. This means more money for her family -- and more time to do other activities -- such as make handicrafts.