My Greatest Treasure
Wealth has many faces. It can be found in our wallets, in our possessions, but also in the traditions that give us stability. What treasures do the people our local teams work with every day possess? We asked some of them.
Bety Tinta from Puno, Peru
"I raise alpacas and shear them. So my greatest treasure is alpaca wool. It allows me to feed my family. And I used it to pay for my children's schooling until they found a job. This work is our tradition. Thanks to training through the Helvetas project, I learned a lot and even got a certificate. Now I'm a master when it comes to sorting wool."
Isidra Gomez Ventura De Hernández from Olintepeque, Guatemala
“My greatest treasure is the chicken eggs I sell. Thanks to them, I was able to raise my children. My little daughter is studying, and I was able to buy her notebooks and pay for her travel. And it gives me the greatest joy to eat a fresh egg every day.”
Loko Dida from Samaro, Ethiopia
“This vessel is my treasure. I like it very much; I decorated it myself. I use it to store milk from my goats. My life has improved since I joined the women's cooperative and began selling the milk for a good amount in our shop in town. Soon I will be able to buy my eighth mother goat.”
Alisher Ghiyosov from Guliston, Tajikistan
“Water is my greatest treasure, because without water I cannot harvest anything and earn anything. Without water there are no trees and no plants. Without water there is no life. Our village grew, and suddenly there was no more water reaching our land. With the water pump from Helvetas, I can irrigate my fields again.”
Susana Sanchez Lopez from Ayacucho, Peru
"My knitting needles are very precious to me because they remind me of my grandmother, who taught me how to knit. Later on, I used them to knit clothes for my children. Now I also make small scarves and souvenirs. Thanks to Helvetas' support, I can sell them. And I am happy to be able to uphold our family tradition."
Nadiia Aksonova from Bilyky, Ukraine
"My greatest treasure is bread. It has always had a sacred meaning for us in Ukraine. That is still the case for me today. As the war drew closer, I started baking bread myself – not only for my family, but also for others in my community. This helped me find a way to stay strong and help others. Today, baking bread is my form of meditation when everything around me feels like a storm."
