“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing”
Isaiah 35:1-2
I am a photographer, a witness; she is my subject, the voice of my story… I want to amplify it so it can be heard laud and clear. The sound of her steps breaking dry leaves disrupts the cold morning and blends with the singing birds and the rooster crow. Her bustling spirit accelerates her door-to-door movement across the modest community. Her convincing words advocate the nourishing attributes of the grain of our Mexican ancestors. “The amaranth will improve the health of your family”, we hear her say. She advances, and her movement resembles the water from the first rain filling the dry stream and transforming the landscape from the dormant and dusty pale brown into a lush green.
Stressful sacrifices, painful journeys and countless hours she has devoted to attain the expertise that complements her will. Now, there she is surrounded by attentive ladies or school children, all absorbing her credible word. As she speaks her words transform lives. Time passes and the community continues to be modest, but perhaps something not so obvious and magical has happened. Perhaps when we look a bit closer we discover well-nourished and smiling children. Perhaps when we walk around we find healthier and more active adults. Perhaps we see little homes now of brick when before they were made of cardboard. This is not a tale; rural regions account for 80% of the land in Mexico and although home to up to 25% of the population, they are host of 60 percent of the country’s extreme poor and 46 percent of the moderately poor. Investing in empowering women in rural communities can make a difference. [Official Website]
