Born in
1966 in Ayacucho, Peru, Dionisia
Ramos has lived most of her life in poverty.
Her mother was mysteriously
poisoned (allegedly by a relative over a land
dispute) and died when Dionisia
was only seven. Her father remarried and sent
Dionisia to live with relatives in
the outskirts of Lima, which is the capital of
Peru and the home to over 7
million people. She was quickly put to work
selling fruit with her uncle on the
streets of Lima.
Dionisia’s uncle and
aunt had their own children to care for and
could not pay for her to study. As a
result, instead of studying and playing like
most youth, Dionisia worked long hours, leaving
the house every morning at 5am and not
returning home until late in the evening.
Dionisia’s entrepreneurial spirit was
first demonstrated at age 17 when she purchased
her own fruit cart. By having her own cart,
Dionisia was able to sell fruit during
different hours so that she could attend
elementary school. She graduated 6th grade in
1985 and married her husband, Victor Huaman,
that same year. Their oldest child, Victor Jr.,
was born with physical deformities and Down’s
syndrome when Dionsia was 21. The couple
struggled to pay Victor Jr.’s medical bills on
Victor Sr.’s erratic income as a manual
laborer. Dionisia began to help by washing
clothes, selling juice out of her home, and
cooking in a welfare kitchen, where she
received food in exchange for work. Despite her
efforts, it was still difficult for the family
to make ends meet.
Dionisia
first became involved in Fair Trade seven years
ago when the Peruvian NGO Bridge of Hope
approached her about forming an artisan group.
She gathered several other interested women
together and formed the textile group, Emady.
Thanks to their involvement in Fair Trade, they
have learned how to sew, design products, and
have acquired the skills needed to manage a
business. Emady uses the 50% deposit that they
receive with each order to pay for the
materials needed for that order. Anything that
is left over is divided up evenly between the
five members of the group, with 10 percent set
aside to invest in equipment and new materials.
Dionisia says that the women have learned how
to be efficient workers and are now able to
make products much faster than when they first
began. Working as a team, each woman has a
specific role in producing each item. They have
also formed a tight network of support for
themselves and for Victor Jr.
Although
Dionisia and Victor struggled to provide for
their three children before she began working
with Emady, life has changed for the family due
to Dionisia’s participation in Fair Trade. They
now have enough money to pay for food,
electricity, and the education of their
children, including the schooling of Victor
Jr., now 21, who is able to attend a special
school for those with mental disabilities.
Furthermore, Dionisia has become a respected
leader in her community.
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