40 Women Improving Income through a Sweet Business

In the province of Tucumán, we launched a project to support sugarcane-producing families, an activity that continues to be the main source of livelihood for many rural communities. Today, these producers face increasing challenges: soil degradation, dependence on external inputs, low profitability, and limited access to technology.

Within this context, women play a fundamental role, yet their contributions have historically remained invisible. Many women are actively involved in productive and community life, but they have had limited opportunities to access training, assume leadership roles, or participate in decision-making processes. In many cases, even when women are the legal owners of the land, they are not recognized as the operational managers of their farms.

For this reason, we organized the first gender workshop, a space created exclusively for women connected to the sugarcane sector. It was a safe and supportive environment where participants could share experiences, reflect on gender roles and the division of labor in rural life, and begin strengthening their management and leadership skills.

Twenty women from the southern region of Tucumán took part in the workshop. Through participatory activities, they analyzed how they distribute their time among productive work, unpaid domestic and care responsibilities, and community participation. This exercise helped make their daily contributions visible and opened meaningful conversations about recognition, self-care, and the right to participate in decision-making.

This workshop marked an important first step. With the support of generous donors around the world, we continue creating opportunities for more rural women to strengthen their enterprises, build economic autonomy, and become leaders in the development of their communities.

Your donation helps these spaces grow and reach more women.

Today, we want to share with you the inspiring story of Natalia, a woman who found in entrepreneurship a new opportunity to grow and strengthen her economic independence.

Natalia is 39 years old and lives with her husband and three children in the rural community of Puesto Los Pérez, in Taco Ralo, Tucumán Province. For many years, she dedicated herself entirely to household tasks, but at some point, she began exploring the world of crafts as a form of entertainment in her free time. She created woven pieces, keychains, and pendants, never imagining that this passion could turn into a source of income for her family.

Her journey with ACDI began in 2023 when she was invited to participate in the Empowered Women workshop. This space for learning and connection helped her expand her perspective and take a significant step forward in her financial stability. Encouraged by what she learned and inspired by other women’s experiences, Natalia started promoting and selling her handmade crafts. She then took her business a step further by creating a small nursery at home, where she now welcomes customers and showcases both her plants and her artisan creations.

Today, Natalia is an active member of her community’s network of entrepreneurs and takes part in all ACDI activities in the area. Her story highlights the impact of this project and the importance of creating spaces where women can share experiences, inspire one another, and strengthen their businesses.

Natalia shares:
"For us, it’s so important to know that there are other women like us—isolated, facing many challenges, yet still striving to move forward. It was amazing to listen to them and see how much they know about their businesses, how much they have grown. I leave this experience full of ideas to improve my own business, happy that I was able to sell my crafts, and eager to keep participating in these spaces."

Through this project, we continue to empower women like Natalia, providing them with tools and opportunities to help their businesses thrive.

Thank you to everyone who makes this change possible!