Ruth y Nohemi

Ruth y Nohemi

Ruth y Nohemi began in 1984 when a group of 20 widows in Chontola, a Quiche Indian village in the highlands of Guatemala, received a grant to buy 100 chickens. These women lost their husbands in the violence and repression of the war in the early 1980's.

The women of Ruth y Nohemi built a chicken house and were able to supplement their family diets with eggs. With the surplus eggs, they purchased food for the chickens and also bought thread which they used for weaving on their backstrap looms. They then built a small workshop and acquired four sewing machines. The village pastor, a part-time tailor, taught seven young boys the skills of tailoring. These youth produce shoulder bags from their mother's weaving.

A small percent of the sales of Ruth Y Nohemi goes to the widows of Chontola fund for the older widows. The women want to learn new techniques for weaving but the only money available is from the widow's fund. Sharing the Dream is working to find money to help provide the training for the women.

Sharing the Dream has provided money to build stoves for seventeen women, purchase chickens and a chicken house, and build a bigger store.

The women of Ruth y Nohemi want to learn new weaving techniques. You can help to provide the training for these women.