Pigs for Families

15 women (mothers) in the Siretquiche community are hoping to receive a pig to help provide needed funds for their family.   Each pig costs about 600 quetzales, or $78.  Pigs do better with a companion, so the plan is to provide 2 pigs per family.  So, we are raising funds for 30 pigs.  This project is in cooperation with the Big Ocean Women international organization.

UPDATE on Project -- June 10, 2024

This letter was written to the donors:

I am emailing you to give you an update on the Christmas Pigs project in Guatemala. Your family provided the funds for the purchase of a pig for a family in Guatemala. You may recall that the project provided two pigs to each family along with the initial feed needed to raise the pigs. The family agreed to build a strong pen (at their own cost) and then, once the pigs were raised, to sell them and purchase more pigs to continue raising pigs. The purpose was to provide extra income to the family. Well, nearly all of the pigs have been raised and sold. A few families still have the original pigs that have not yet been sold. For those who have sold their pigs, all but one have the funds in a bank account and are waiting for their new set of piglets to be born. One family did not wait and went out and purchased three new piglets to continue the project.

So, as of right now, this project is going forward with much success. We couldn’t be prouder of the efforts being made by these families. You may also recall that this effort is being led by the women in these families, as a project with Big Ocean Women.  Welcome Hand provided additional funding and the oversight for the training, receiving and selling the pigs. Currently, there are discussions to expand this little project to other villages.

Thank you for your donation. It appears to have been a nice seed for a sustainable effort by the women and their families to be able to provide better for themselves.