Don Pedro is an entrepreneur, a leader of a production and distribution cooperative that creates jobs in his community. His children are thriving in business and education. He is sought after to share his experiences and successes. On a sunny day in Sololá, Guatemala, he described his journey to fullness of life to the visiting Child Ambassadors. The following is his story. Don Pedro’s home was set on a path branching off of the mountain road. He, his wife, and their children live in a spacious house, with the bustle of business in the workspaces around them. On that day, he and his daughter Olga welcomed our visiting Child Ambassador team into their courtyard. As we stood around pleasantly chatting, his son Celso, age seven, darted across the space. Don Pedro smiled and shared that Celso was doing so well in school that he had skipped a whole grade. Celso flitted in and out of the group; he paused near me for a moment, and I asked him what his favorite subject was. He thought, then said he loved letters; he flitted away again, singing a song about vowel sounds as he went. This family was an image of vibrant life. Sparking Change
Sparking Growth He approached World Vision's local team, and they said that if he created a working pilot program, they would help him scale his business. Don Pedro started making batches of ten candles at a time in a small metal box, producing a total of 200-300 per day. He carried his product on his back to local stores, selling candles as he went. World Vision saw his determined initiative and agreed to help him scale the business. Don Pedro already had an idea of what to do. He envisioned a working machine that would dip up to eighty candles at a time, increasing his productivity eight fold. He said that he could build the machine; all he needed was a stove and some large pots to heat the wax. WV invested in those items and also connected him with some business classes. With the equipment from World Vision and his own efficient invention, he soon began to produce 3,000 candles a day.
Sharing Success Now Don Pedro’s work is expanding to encompass success for the people around him. He’s been able to build a house for his family, a warehouse, and several workspaces. He founded a group — Grupo Candelario — to include people from nine other families in the business, and he has outsourced the production of candles so that he can focus on distribution. He was especially proud that the people on his team can work close to home and thus enjoy spending more time with their children. His own daughter Olga, age twenty-five, has joined her father in business. She’s a talented artist and is turning her skills into a successful market for custom embroidered fabrics. When asked what he wanted next, what his next big dream would be, Don Pedro said simply that his dream was for his children. He says he hopes that one day his children will have their own homes and lands and that his grandchildren will have the opportunity to get the education he couldn’t have. More than anything, he wants them to have a childhood marked by joy and an adulthood marked by productive success.
Carrying the Light
Like the light of Don Pedro’s candles, hope is spreading across Guatemala. Residing in that country are people with dreams that can change generations. When they, like Don Pedro, achieve success, they can diffuse it across their communities. And when you invite someone to sponsor a child in Guatemala, you’re helping get the right tools in the hands of people with dreams. Don Pedro took a stove and wax pots and built a business legacy. As you advocate for the children on the sponsorship website or on your picture folders, imagine what the future would be like if their families were also empowered to reach their dreams. Let’s keep working in partnership with them until they, too, are surrounded by the growing light.
Cari Conklin
3/3/2019 09:40:17 am
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