Where it all came from: Ingrid Villasenor

Gina Hervey
Jul 25, 2017 · 4 min read

Hi all!

Today, I’m going to talk a bit about the founder of Tejiendo Futuros — Ingrid Villasenor — and her road to starting the nonprofit.

Ingrid Villasenor, founder of Tejiendo Futuros

Ingrid lives in Panajachel Guatemala, bordering the picturesque Lake Atitlan’s northern shore, with three volcanoes along the horizon.

Ingrid grew up around lake Atitlan, enjoying the picturesque scenery and countryside. However, there was also a high rate of poverty, inequality, and violence.

When she was 10, during the time of armed conflict in Guatemala, her father was kidnapped.

In an interview with past advocate Katrina Christenson, Ingrid explained, “Seeing the hunger and misery in many people teaches you to overcome all obstacles that may arise. It makes you want to live and fight for a better world.” And so she’s dedicated her life to just that. She wants to “put love into action,” a famous, and difficult-to-implement quote by Mother Teresa.

“Seeing the hunger and misery in many people teaches you to overcome all obstacles that may arise. It makes you want to live and fight for a better world.”— Ingrid Villasenor

As an adult, Ingrid started her service career with UN Women. She was assigned manager of entrepreneurial services in Solola, Guatemala where she supported women and their businesses. However, there seemed to be a missing link, explained Mama Hope member and long-time friend of Ingrid’s, Katie Carey. A large amount of microfinance loans were taken out, but the community-based, and financial literacy programs seemed lacking.

Students in Ingrid’s after school program, posing at lake Atitlan with volcanoes in the background.

Later, Ingrid worked with School of the World in Quiche, Guatemala where she helped build schools, education programs, and libraries.

But she was also exposed to, as community members explained, an insufficient and ineffective public education system. Rote memorization and repetition was no the way to truly educate children or allow them to reach their full potential.

Teachers in Guatemala only need a high school diploma, parents have minimal job opportunities in the country, and children often drop out of school because the education system is seen as a waste of time. Ingrid soon realized simply building schools was not going to solve the education problem.

She was determined to be part of an alternative system that allows children to reach their full potential and have a access to knowledge that could empower and inspire them to be leaders.

After connecting with two educators from Greece who were looking to expand their holistic education program from urban to rural parts of Guatemala, they founded El Arbol del Nino, the education branch of what is now Tejiendo Futuros. At this time, she also connected with the San Francisco based nonprofit Mama Hope, and their affiliated organization Glorious.

Ingrid is immensely capable as a connector. She is, at the heart, a community organizer — both within Panajachel, and globally, expressed Katie Carey.

After discovering that some of the families she was working with were living off of $53 a month, she knew a family-centered program, not just an education-program, was necessary.

With time, this vision for the school and it’s need to stay community based and family engaged began to differ too much from her partners’ goals.

So, she began Tejiendo Futuros as an independent nonprofit about a year ago — under which the holistic after school program (El Arbol del Ninos), the eco-farm, and the eco-tourism reserve are included.

The eco-sustainable farm will provide affordable, fresh produce for families, training and skills based business workshops, and other support for mothers and families as a whole.

Over 18 families are already a part of Ingrid’s program and have actively fought for and with her to implement and make the other branches of the nonprofit self-sufficient and community serving.

“Ingrid and Carlos (her husband) are masterful hosts, the make everyone feel like one humanity” — Katie Carey

To date, Ingrid has partnered with Mama Hope and Glorious in the Untied States, agriculture specialists from Canada, Quail Springs Permaculture farm in Southern California, and numerous nonprofits in Guatemala to strengthen her network and web of fellow advocates for a better future.

She’s truly an inspiration, and with continued outreach, community building, and education, Tejiendo Futuros is making, and will continue to put love into Action.

To learn more or ask questions comment below, e-mail me at gina.hervey@gmail.com, and/or subscribe to my newsletter!

If you’d like to support Ingrid’s work, check out my fundraising page: https://give.classy.org/ginah

Best,

Gina

Gina Hervey

Written by

Dedicated to food sovereignty, the Mama Hope Global Advocate for Tejiendo Futuros, Guatemala! Learn more (and donate!) here: https://give.classy.org/ginah

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