A bumper crop for a single mom in Nicaragua

The word ‘multi-tasker’ doesn’t exist in the indigenous Miskito language, but no matter what language you’re speaking, Aracelly Saiman Omier is one. Araceli is from the San Carlos community of northern Nicaragua. She’s an avid gardener who works hard as a single mom to three children. She’s also a trained nurse and a leader in her community. The team at our local partner, Acción Medica Cristiana, knew that Araceli’s background as a nurse would make her a great health promoter. In this role, she helps her neighbors stay healthy. In particular, she encourages new moms in her community eat well and breastfeed their children.

In order to feed her children well and earn some extra money by selling vegetables, Aracelly decided to plant a garden. She cleared a large garden area and got to work. She planted tomatoes, cabbage, beets, cucumbers and squash. When she had some problems with pests, agronomists from Acción Medica Cristiana stepped in to help.

Aracelly eventually harvested a bumper crop of vegetables. She fed her children, and sold her tomatoes, cucumbers and other extras. Her harvest earned her about $500, which she used to buy a pair of horses. When her next harvest time comes, those horses will help her get her produce to the nearest town.

Aracelly wants her neighbors to have the same success that she’s had. She tells the women she works with that everyone can be a successful vegetable producer if they farm organically and following the agronomists’ suggestions.