Tucked behind the bed of the Yaque River, abundant rainfall grants a planting window for crops such as beans, pigeon peas, squash, and corn in the lush mountain village of Guayuyal. God’s green mountains rise to the east and the west and create a gorgeous backdrop for the workers of these farms. Farming on the side of a mountain is no easy task, but for those raised in the community, the skills come naturally.
Jose calls the village of Guayuyal his native home and lights up the community with his intelligence and his heart of gold. Beloved by his community, he is a role model to the youth as well as respected by the older generation. His honest, hard working, and diplomatic personality paired with his willingness to help make him a vital member of this community.
Jose’s father had over 20 children with several different women in his lifetime. Because of this, Jose was never given much attention growing up but learned to take on his role in a large family with strength and positivity. When he was 17, his father passed away, and then two years later, he lost his mother as well. As a young man with no parental support, he learned to farm from other fathers in the community and inherited his own piece of mountain at an early age.
Although farming is a common way of life in Guayuyal, it is not always reliable. Growing crops is dependent on the amount of rainfall and the timing of the rainfall. When the rain comes at the right time and with the right amount, farmers can make a profit from the land. But when the rain doesn’t come as it needs to, farmers can owe a lot of money with no harvest to pay for it. The only constant in farming is that it requires a lot of hard work throughout the year, which meant that Jose had to leave school to maintain his farm.
Over the years, however, the land became tougher to work on, the rains came later and less often, and the harvest became less profitable. His primary way of living wasn’t supporting himself or his family anymore.
When we met with Jose to discuss alternative ways that he could make money, he knew right away what could provide him with a more consistent income: eggs. Before farming, Jose had worked in a hen house and learned the in’s and out’s of raising the animals and collecting their eggs. Raising hens meant that he wouldn’t have to rely on the inconsistent rains and he would have a product to sell to his community and surrounding communities each week. His love for interacting with those in his community made raising hens even more desirable, as it would allow him to interact frequently with others in the mini-markets in the region. In addition, raising hens would give him enough free time to go back to school and hopefully graduate with a higher level of education.
The only problem with raising hens: Jose doesn’t have the starting capital to build a chicken house and purchase a group of hens.
That’s where we come in. With a loan of $2,000, Jose will have the capital to build his hen house, purchase his first group of birds and the feed that they will need. Because hens produce quickly, Jose will be able to pay back the loan in a little over 3 years. Once he gets started, he will also have the opportunity to quickly expand the size of his new business by doubling or even tripling the size of his group of birds.
A loan for Jose is more than just money to help him purchase hens. This loan is an opportunity for Jose to find a more sustainable living, go back to school and better his education, and remain in his community to help others find a better life as well. Without the support of a loan, Jose will have a small chance of finishing school and will more than likely move to a bigger city, leaving the community of Guayuyal without his character, vision, work ethic, and charity.
