Happy Honduran Women’s Day!

January 25th is officially celebrated to commemorate the Honduran women’s first socio-political feat in 1955. It was this year that the Catrachas (slang for Honduran women) were legally recognized and were able to fulfill their right to suffrage. This year we commemorate 59 years since the political rights of women were recognized, allowing them to pass from the domestic to political sphere. All this is thanks to the visionary women that took on this fight and won.

These visionary women are needed in our country today so that we can get ahead. For this reason our organization is committed to working together so that the dreams of our clients can become a reality. We firmly believe that it is necessary to support the dreams and goals that these Honduran women have.

My pride and support to Adelante’s clients was born out of my first field visit, about three weeks after I began working with the organization. During my day in the field we had the opportunity to visit the businesses of seven women outside of La Ceiba. During these visits we were able to analyze at greater detail the current state of their businesses and chat with the women about their lives in general.

Two clients pose for a photo following their assembly in the department of Atllantida

As we visited with each woman, I realized that they all had one thing in common – they are all women with the entrepreneurial spirit, full of life, with a great vision and hope to provide a better future for themselves and their families. Upon noticing the unmatched spirit of each of the clients we visited, I began to reflect and value even more the job that our clients take on each day to run their own micro-business in order to generate the income needed to care for their families and give their children the opportunity that they didn’t have.

Whenever I think about the difficulties that our clients sometimes face to get ahead, I tell myself, “It is not so easy to be a woman.” But it is as much the effort as the love that our clients show each day to overcome the adversities they face, that I rephrase myself to say, “Despite the difficulties, what a blessing it is to be a woman!” It is incredible that a simple chat with a client, or just learning about what she has had to experience to get her children ahead, you change the way that you see life, making you value more what you have. It is for this reason that I say, “What a blessing it is to be a woman!” What a blessing to meet such entrepreneurial women, dedicated and full of life, committed to their families, who show the whole world that you can get ahead.

For this, and many reasons more, Adelante Foundation congratulates each and every Honduran woman – Honduran women who work each day to be the best spouse, mother, daughter, sister, professional and micro-entrepreneur.