Since a picture is worth a thousand words I'll post one right here. This is the view of La Limonada seen when we walk down every morning:

The people of La Limonada are some of the warmest and most welcoming I've ever met, ready to let complete strangers into their homes with a cheek-to-cheek kiss (the equivalent of a handshake in Guatemala). On Tuesday we got the chance to visit several of the homes of the women who we hope will attend our micro finance workshops. There was a large range, from women who already owned small tiendas-shops in La Limonada, and a woman who makes gorgeous silver jewelery to sell to the local missionaries, to women who live day-to-day selling sandals or bread on street corners. There are also several woman who have both the drive and desire for business but either feel threatened to sell within the ghetto or have been kept in the dark due to family issues such as drugs or childcare. All in all, the potential we came across is more than we could have hoped and I'm looking forward to our first true meeting/lesson next Tuesday!

Besides making house visits we have spent a lot of our time getting plugged into the school community. Lemonade International funds two schools in La Limonada under the care of Tita, who started the entire initiative in La Limonada over 15 years ago. Since public schools are only half-days in Guatemala, the kids attend both their public school and the Lemonade school. Unlike normal school the Lemonade school provides health and wellness education, free daily meals, and arts/sports electives. The kids are absolutely adorable and its tough to hear Marisa say she doesn't feel safe in La Limonada or Johnathan talk about the lack of attention he receives at home. Today I even had the chance to help translate with a class full of 4/5 year olds! The littlest ones are definitely my favorites, rushing to tickle and hug you before even asking your name.

The school also sponsors a carpentry workshop for current/ex-gang members. The gang culture in La Limonada is rampant and although the entire area of La Limonada is considered a "red zone" of Guatemala City there are barrios-neighborhoods within the zone controlled by different gangs creating very distinct social barriers within the community. Workshops such as these are vital to keep kids engaged during the precarious years between which they graduate from school at 15 and become eligible to compete for employment. Watching the members of the carpentry workshop, los muchachos, play soccer in a local park this afternoon its crazy to think that just a couple months ago they could have been walking around with guns. In the next couple of weeks we are hoping to begin "savings circles" with los muchachos to truly harness the impact that an income flow, bank account, and budget can have in achieving ones goals.

Speaking of impact, lately we have devoted a lot of thinking as to how to best to evaluate our project. As this is the first microfinance venture in La Limonada, and possibly in the urban slums of Guatemala, impact analysis is definitely found on the road less traveled. A lot of what we hope to achieve, instilling purpose and strengthening community ties, simply cannot be measured by counting up ones personal assets. Although we plan to give surveys to borrowers and community members to gauge issues such as violence and education, the question still remains; how can you truly measure someone's quality of life?

If you'd like to hear more about our project and happenings in Guatemala please check out Santi's or Mohammed's blog.

Mucho Amor,

Sarika