The Communities Leading Development (CLD) project targeting women, Indigenous people, youth, and people with disabilities in 203 communities in Quetzaltenango, Quiché, San Marcos, Huehuetenango, and Totonicapán leverages financial resources and partnerships with local groups and organizations to propel development projects that are community-driven. This project invested in the business plans of participating youth by providing them a Q5,000 ($639) seed capital as well as various training sessions. The CLD program’s ultimate goal is to involve youth in leading efforts to achieve their vision of their well-being and stymie the effects of lack of opportunities. Many participating youth have not had previous experience with a seed grant and were motivated by the prospects of a business of their own. CLD is a USAID project led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Central America and various implementing partners such as the Association for the Sustainable Development of Youth (ADESJU), the organization that approached youth to participate in this program. ADESJU coordinated weekly meetings in different communities to initially attract youth to learn about the organization and the CLD program and potentially participate. Youth were then given modules and received advising on their business ideas. ADESJU is a sustainable development organization in Chiantla, Huehuetenango that seeks to motivate the participation of adolescents and youth in their development at all sectors of society. In Guatemala, 70% of the population is under 30-years-old, making the youth population of utmost importance.
The Rodriguez brothers are three brothers from San Antonio Las Nubes, a community about 500 meters higher in elevation and 20 minutes outside of Chiantla. Lisandro, Esvin, and Nelson started a chicken farm for egg production to sell to their community. The brothers became involved with ADESJU after the organization began coordinating meetings in their community every Sunday. The brothers were instantly interested in the project upon learning about it as they have never had this type of organization involvement in their community. The brothers are amongst the oldest in their family. They see their business as a great accomplishment. The three brothers all want to study but due to financial limitations, they aren’t able to finish their studies. WIth the profits gained from their business, the two oldest brothers currently send the youngest brother Lisandro to school.
Photographed and interviewed in April 2023.
Francisca Cano, a young woman from La Pista de Nebaj in Santa Cruz del Quiché, became involved in the CLD project through her youth ministry group. Prior to the project, Francisca, the youngest child and the last one living with her parents, had contemplated opening a business with her parents to introduce an extra income stream and to support her father, who takes on precarious work. She was referred to ADESJU (The Association for the Sustainble Development of Youth) and in return, ADESJU asked her if she would be interested in participating in the project. She eventually proposed a business plan after participating in various programming coordinated by ADESJU and Multiverse— an organization that seeks to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Guatemala. ADESJU coordinated meet-ups in Quetzaltenango as well as Guatemala City. As part of Multiverse, she participated in an entrepreneurship accelerated course. With the help of the seed capital from CRS, Francisca was able to open a pharmacy in La Pista. Her idea to open the pharmacy was propelled by her nursing background in which she had previously studied a technical certificate in nursing. She actively applies her nursing knowledge to the customer experience that she provides. She consults customers who come into her pharmacy with a pressing issue. She also makes home visits to administer injections and start IV lines for clients and continues tracking customers on their conditions. Her family’s support to begin her business has been unconditional.
Photographed and interviewed in March 2023.
Maria Chum is a young entrepreneur and mother from a community in Climentoro Aguacatan, Huehuetenango and owns and manages Buhoo’s Bakery. Buhoo’s Bakery sells cakes, sweet breads, cupcakes, and flan. Recently, with her cousin, she expanded the business and opened a café that sells snacks, coffee, hot chocolate, and baked goods from Buhoo’s. Maria was previously involved in ADESJU’s youth leadership programming and most recently involved in the entrepreneurial support from ADESJU through the CLD project. She participated in training and activities in Quetzaltenango and received individualized mentorship. Prior to opening the bakery, Maria had a pizza business that was not working as well. Through her entrepreneurial training, she was motivated to shift to different products. Maria shared with us that the youth exchange activities helped her and her cousin decide to open the coffee shop. The café is small and simple, without much equipment, but she learned that with good business strategies you don’t need lots of space or fancy equipment to open.
Photographed and interviewed in April 2023.
Ester is the oldest daughter in her family and has three younger siblings. Recently, after difficult events for her family, she took legal custody of her siblings. She works at a school to provide for her siblings and to support her father with expenses. With support from the CLD project, youth entrepreneurship initiative, Ester established a sweets and desserts business to complement her income, complete with a branding and a social media marketing strategy that she feels is putting her business on the map in her community. To establish her business, Ester participated in several in-person workshops in the municipal head of Jacaltenango on youth entrepreneurship and developing business models and traveled to Quetzaltenango for youth exchange visits. She also received seed capital from CLD to invest in initial start-up products.
Photographed and interviewed in April 2023.
Leticia Sacalxot, a youth entrepreneur and mother from Cantel, Quetzaltenango, learned of the CLD project through a youth group in her community. Leticia reported learning important business skills and receiving immense support from ADESJU and Multiverse through the CLD project. Leticia participated in youth exchange activities in Quetzaltenango where she learned from other youth. She also participated in the Multiverse accelerated program that allowed her to gain personalized technical support for her chicken farm. She opened her chicken farm in June 2022 after receiving seed capital from the CLD project. Leticia’s goal was to raise and sell live chickens in her community. However, the first chickens weren’t ready to be sold until October of that year and she suffered losses when costs of production increased, and her clients did not accept the increased sale prices.
Leticia shifted to selling costume jewelry, launching the business in December 2022 and maintains the chicken farm as extra income. Leticia’s brother and mother support her on the chicken farm and her husband helps her with her jewelry business. Although her poultry farm is not as successful as she wanted it to be, she is extremely grateful for the seed capital and the mentorship that she received from CRS, ADESJU and Multiverse. She feels like the experience with the poultry farm has led her to the jewelry business because she is able to apply the knowledge that she gained through mentorship to the jewelry business.
Photographed and interviewed in March 2023.
Colectiva Las Niñas de Guatemala is a feminist collective based in Guatemala that advocates for the livelihood of girls, adolescents, and women as well as empowers girls, adolescents, and women through workshops. I photographed the project, "Alzar La Voz: Es Mi Derecho", a project with the female students of a school in Comalapa, Chimaltenango.
March 2023
