"One swallow does not make a summer"

“When the minister came, I came up with the idea of giving him a letter requesting wire fencing around the preschool”

“I have always been interested in FUNDEMUNI training events. I’ve been participated for almost three years.

In the community of Las Nubes, we were finally able to have a latrine installed at the community preschool in September.

We worked with a community scorecard to assess the quality of health at the community preschool. We noted all of the preschool’s conditions: its infrastructure, the teacher’s capacity and punctuality, the characteristics of the students, and water quality. When assessing the infrastructure, we noted that there was no latrine. Before, a latrine wasn’t considered important, but when we took the scorecard to the municipal government, they saw that it was a priority for us, and the latrine was installed. Fourteen people from my community were involved in this effort, including parents of preschool children.

With the community and municipal government, I’ve been able to participate in local assemblies. I’m a promoter from the village committee, and I try to express my opinions about the community’s needs. To date, our only achievement has been the latrine.

When the minister came, I came up with the idea of giving him a letter requesting wire fencing around the preschool. I asked for signatures from parents with children in the preschool. I’d like to do much more for my community, but as they say, one swallow does not make a summer. I think more people should be invited to these training events, so that other people have the opportunity to learn the things I’ve learned.

Before, there were mothers who didn’t even want to enroll their children in preschool. Now we’ve told them that it’s their duty and the children’s right to be in preschool. A mother can’t allow her child to grow up without learning to write his name. So, this is another achievement: making people aware that the laws aren’t just words on a piece of paper.

Personally, the biggest change for me was when I learned the laws. Before, I might have allowed myself to be abused or mistreated, but not anymore. Because of the talks imparted by FUNDEMUNI, I’ve learned about sexual and reproductive rights. Before I thought that sexuality was only something between couples, but now I’ve learned that sexuality also has to do with oneself.

Before, anybody would just run me right over. I would remain quiet out of fear that they would do something to me. But I learned that I must defend myself and my rights. Sometimes, people can be blind and not know anything.

So now there’s been a change, both with my partner and within myself. If there had been no change, I would still be suffering abuse, because I didn’t have this knowledge. But I left my fears behind, and he’s changed, too. Our relationship is different now.”