Dignity for Women at Work

Women with dignity have a certain self-respecting way of walking and talking—backs formerly bent stand straight. Demeaning servitude becomes meaningful labor. Violent nightmares are transformed daringly into dreams. Dignity-bestowing entrepreneurial realities were born from seemingly impossible dreams when some partners of Lutheran World Relief got involved.

This week my eyes beheld that dignity. It transcended language, culture or national borders. Because of the safe space provided by LWR partners, these women were able to discover and develop business acumen and leadership capacity in a processes that called forth their full humanity and made their eyes sparkle.

Frutico is a mouthwatering lollipop product. Of course I’d be irresponsible if I didn’t personally verify its deliciousness with my own taste-test. The various flavors represent the tongue-tingling and exotic fruits of Colombia. Frutico is already turning a profit and searching for creative ways to produce even more refreshingly cool treats in this hot region.

Another venture funded by LWR was the construction of a bakery and the purchase of equipment for this house of bread in Matuya. The biblical place of Jesus’ birth, Bethlehem, literally means “house of bread.” Hope is born in the lives of the women who are cooking up a bustling little business. By the way, the bread is also good, I tasted it too. What’s better than these baked delicacies is the way the baking business augments dignity.

On the day of the Lord, this past Sunday, on the holy ground of a convent’s retreat center called Casa de Convivencias Sainville, we sat in chairs forming a circle. Above us gazed compassionately the suffering One from the crucifix on the wall. He, who not only suffers with us (Isaiah 63:9), but also overcomes victoriously for us. His suffering breeds character and imbues us all with dignity. These women are faith-filled over-comers. They’ve survived the bloodcurdling consequences of living in the crossfire between paramilitary and guerilla forces. They’ve survived narrow gender roles that diminished their dignity: “All they expected us to do was bear children, raise little animals, and stay in our place in this macho environment.”

Duvis is a woman who radiates dignity especially as she provides entrepreneurial leadership for her community and moral leadership for her family. A mother of three children, she is committed to radical parenting. “Peace starts in homes,” she asserted, referring to the Colombian conflict. “We must teach children to solve conflicts at home if we want to change the big picture.” Indeed, Duvis is a change agent. Her work outside of the home is as vice-president of a local agricultural organization started with 26 women in a vegetable growing project. They also have a cattle raising venture. As such, Duvis not only told me the names of the children, Freddy (14), Joel (10) and Yerard (8), but she shared the names of her cows, “Chocolate” and “Little Horn.” Swinging her arm to demonstrate the stick techniques she employs to herd those big bovine creatures, I’d say she’s got her cows and her children and her community heading in the right direction.

Yet, the woman of dignity to whom I dedicate this writing is Zoraida Castillo Varela, LWR’s Colombia Program Manager. Today is Thanksgiving Day, and I am thankful for Zoraida’s inimitable hospitality during my visit. Her advocacy on behalf of women previously denied basic human rights is indefatigable. Children love her because of the hope she inspires. Campesinos trust her because she invests in their vocation as farmers. All of this sets Zoraida apart as a paramount model of human dignity. Dignity lives as dignity gives.