Interview with Rosa Pallo, President of the Rasuyacu women's group
FUNDACION ECUMENICA PARA EL DESARROLLO
INTEGRAL CAPACITACIÓN - EDUCACIÓN (FEDICE)
Cdla. "La Ofelia" Mz. O Nº OE4-40 Fono: (593-2) 259-8558
vicvaci@andinanet.net P.O. Box : 17-11-4829
Quito - Ecuador
HISTORY OF RASUYACU CHIGUANTO
Interview with Rosa Pallo, President of the Rasuyacu Women's group
The first president of our group was Lucrecia Alomoto. We started with l5
women and without the knowledge of our husbands; because they criticized
us that we only spent time "heating the chair" and wasting time in the
meetings. For that reason many women didn't want to belong to the group.
We began the women's organization, but the president resigned. We
appointed Lola Quintuña as our second president. The group increased to
25 women. We continue working with the animals. After some internal
problems, the women appointed me as their president of the women's group.
Then our companion Leonidas Iza helped us in the organization. I have been
president for 7 years. I began with 25 women; then increased to 30 and now
we are 43 women, between married and single. We are permitting our older
daughters to be part of the organization.
We advise our children and daughters to maintain our own culture. Some
youth began to dress in the "fashion" with wide pants and with earrings.
So, we with other partners of the organization came to an agreement: to go
down to the parish Toacaso, one Sunday. That day we caught all the youth
that were dressed in the "up to day fashion" with earrings. We took off
their clothes, we burned them in the square. In This way the youth no
longer get dressed in such clothes against our culture.
In our community FEDICE began its work in the year 1998 with smaller
projects of guinea pigs and rabbits. Then, we started with the project of
cultivation of white onion. Later on we included the Ovine Project. It was
very good and the FEDICE is helping us with another project of cattle.
Lastly, the community and FEDICE, with the support of the brothers and
sisters of the Webster Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Saint Louis
Missouri built a house. They supported us with their personal work and
money. Now it is our Credit Union.
When FEDICE came to our community we were not sure about FEDICE's sincerity. At that time our partner Marco Garzon and the Dr. Roman who worked with the program of the Ministry of Agriculture supported us so that we would accept FEDICE's help. We began with a few guinea pigs and rabbits. We received a credit of a million sucres ($300 dollars). The project was a success and we finished it and returned the credit.
Then the FEDICE supported us in onion cultivation using worms as organic agriculture. For us it went very well; up to now we have onion project. This has been a good income for the whole family. Now our husbands no longer emigrate to look for work outside the community. Then FEDICE seeing our success decided to support us with a new project called "Genetic improvement of Sheep". We bought sheep of a good race and now we have sheep that are bigger and they give us five to six times more wool.
The last credit that FEDICE gave us was for cattle. Most of us bought cows. We already have calves. We have milk to feed our children and also for sale. The bad thing is that they don't pay is a just price. But we have resources to defend us. We don't lack food in our homes, thanks to God and to the FEDICE. The foundation FEDICE has always been a good help for us. We hope that they will continue supporting us.
Thank you
Rosa Pallo
Rasuyacu Chiguanto, 20 September 2005
THIS IS OUR CREDIT UNION
