Raquel: the strength of a woman who transformed pain into love and care
In Lote 58, a remote rural community about 30 kilometers from Añatuya, life is shaped by isolation. Dirt roads cut through the forest and become almost impossible to travel when it rains. Homes are simple, made of adobe and tin, and there is no access to safe water or basic services. Reaching the nearest city can take up to two hours by motorcycle. This is where Raquel lives, with her husband, her children, and her granddaughter Aruna.
Two years ago, everything changed. Raquel’s daughter, Rocío, had been part of Haciendo Camino’s pregnancy support program. Her pregnancy was high-risk, and she needed regular medical care and support. Shortly after giving birth, she was diagnosed with advanced uterine cancer. Within weeks, despite being transferred to the provincial capital, there was nothing more doctors could do.Aruna was just five months old when she lost her mother.
Raquel stepped in without hesitation. When Aruna’s father chose not to take responsibility, she became her primary caregiver. “I’ve been raising her since my daughter passed away. My children help—we all look after her,” she shares. Talking about Rocío is still painful, but her memory lives on in every family gathering.
The months that followed were not easy. Every week, Raquel traveled long distances by motorcycle with Aruna—through heat, cold, and dust—just to make sure she received the care she needed. She never missed a single appointment. “I do it for her. I want her to grow up healthy and have everything she needs,” she says.
Before Haciendo Camino began regular outreach in Lote 58, Raquel opened her home so the activities could take place there. With no community space available, her house became a safe place for care, support, and connection—not only for Aruna, but for other families as well.
Lote 58 is so isolated it doesn’t even appear on most maps. Families here live without access to clean water, healthcare, or reliable transportation. When it rains, roads disappear. Accessing even the most basic services can take hours. Water comes from shared wells and cisterns, incomes are unstable, and daily life is a constant challenge.
And yet, in the middle of all this, Raquel stands strong.
Together with her family, she ensures that Aruna receives proper nutrition, regular check-ups, and a loving, stable environment. In a place where loss and hardship could define the future, she chose something else: to turn pain into strength, and care into opportunity.
At Haciendo Camino, we continue to walk alongside Aruna and her family—because behind every child, there is a woman holding everything together. And when she is supported, an entire family can move forward.
