A New Path for Guatemalan Women

Giving women a voice and a future, Newton Running and Trickle Up collaborate to create a new path for Guatemalan women

BOULDER, Colorado — August 16, 2017 – In Guatemala, 9 million people live in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 a day. Newton Running and Trickle Up continue to tackle this extreme poverty by working to transform the lives of women in Guatemala. With the support of Newton Running and Trickle Up, women will build small businesses and social connections so they can better feed their families, save for the future, and find a voice in their households and communities. With the expertise of Trickle Up, an organization committed to empowering the world’s poorest people, Newton Running sponsored a group of women in Tamahu, Guatemala to help them overcome extreme poverty. During an 18 month collaboration, Newton Running and Trickle Up will be following three individuals on their journey out of extreme poverty as part of the Rio Jolomche savings group. Together, Newton Running and Trickle Up will feature the stories of Carmelina, Aurora, and Petronila in Jolomche, a small enclave in Tamahú, Guatemala. Visit the Trickle Up website to learn more about the campaign. The site will feature updates on the women’s’ triumphs and challenges as they confront extreme poverty. Newton Running will be sharing the progress of this effort, and asking customers to share what motivates them with the hashtag #runwithpurpose. Below is the second update from Guatemala:

Rio Jolomche Savings Group
Just five months after forming, the Rio Jolomche Savings Group has saved $822.50 collectively, and they are loaning to each other to buy food for their families and invest in their businesses. Group trainings have helped strengthen the women’s solidarity. For example, when they began planning their businesses, according to one participant, “we were inspired by what others were doing, which strengthened our ideas.”

Aurora
Aurora Beb Caal used her seed capital to buy thread to weave güipiles (traditional Mayan blouses) with the help of her two daughters. “I am changing my attitude, teaching new things to my children, and doing things I didn’t do before. My daughters have learned to knit. I also explained to my husband about the savings group. I look forward to the end of the cycle when I receive more than I saved,” she tells us.

Carmelina
Carmelina Xol Toc and her family started several businesses: vegetable growing, shoe repair, and chicken farming. Her son Edgar, who lives with epilepsy, runs the shoe repair and accompanied his mother at the first meeting of the savings group. The family already notices a difference in their lives; now they can occupy their time building diversified livelihoods. “We can use the profits to buy family members things they like and medicine,” Carmelina says.

Petronila
After doing a market assessment, Petronila Och Tipol decided to invest her seed capital in a store selling daily necessities. To diversify her income, she also bought chickens to raise and sell, and her daughter is weaving. With her profits, she hopes to afford food year round and fix her house. They have already invested in reinforcing the back wall, and now “no more water enters the house.”
Learn more about Newton Running’s commitment to social responsibility at Newton Running, About Us
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About Newton Running:
Newton Running, based in Boulder, CO, is a leading manufacturer and marketer of performance running shoes for runners of all types, from first-time runners to seasoned marathoners. Newton Running’s patented Action/Reaction™ Technology provides dynamic full foot cushioning and lightweight cushioning. Newton Running shoes are available at hundreds of specialty retailers across the country and around the world and at www.NewtonRunning.com. Launched in 2007, the Company was named after Sir Isaac Newton and Newton’s third law, which is the technology that has made Newton Running shoes renowned. As a certified B Corporation, Newton Running is committed to and recognized for a higher level of accountability, sustainability and philanthropy.