"The other day, I went to town, and a young man approached me and said, ‘Hey, there is a package for you, Lady of the Bees-. This made me laugh, but it is true, I have earned a reputation due to my passion for bees and the work I do with my cooperative." Ada Lilian is a beekeeper from the community of Cacaupera in the Morazán department of El Salvador. She is the mother of two children-an adolescent and a two-year-old boy.
Lilian always remembers the challenges she faced growing up in poverty. “Life here has always been tough. I didn’t even have a hammock to sleep in, and there were no buses to get around or to go to school. From the age of eight, I had to walk five kilometers to reach the town. And when you’re a single mother at 18, things become even more difficult because even your own family might turn their back on you and not offer support.”
Her life began to change when she joined training programs. “Fortunately, there were projects for single mothers. Having my daughter was a great blessing because it allowed me to access these workshops”.
Though she was initially afraid, especially since beekeeping is traditionally a male-dominated filed, her child became her motivation. “At that time, I was the only woman participating in beekeeping workshops. It was intimidating and scary because beekeeping was dominated by men, but I wanted to start my initiative. That’s how the idea of forming a cooperative began”. Now, six years later, Lilian is not only the president of the cooperative, but she has also achieved many positive things. “Being a cooperative member has been incredibly beneficial for me. I was able to build a small house, and through my work, I’ve provided my daughter with an education. I’ve also inspired other women to join the cooperative and improve their economic standing.”
“I used to be the lady of the bees, but now, with all the women who have joined the cooperative, they have also become the lady of the bees.” “A cooperative is like a beehive, where everyone works together equally”.
Негізгі бет Cooperative Member Portrait - Ada Lilian Pérez
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