At the age of seven, Génesis experienced a loss that would change her life forever: her father died in a car accident. Her mother had migrated to Spain years earlier in search of better opportunities, so in the midst of grief and uncertainty, there was someone who chose to stand by her side and become her greatest support: her grandfather, Don Antonio. In Morocelí, El Paraíso, agriculture has been the livelihood of many families for generations. In Génesis’ home, there was always beans and corn on the table because Don Antonio dedicated much of his life to working the land.
“I spent 40 years growing only corn and beans, completely dependent on rainfall,” he recalls. “It was very hard economically. I managed to help my children finish high school, but I could not afford to send them to university. Almost every year was a struggle.”
For a long time, that seemed like the only possible reality. But a new opportunity was about to transform the life of the entire community.
World Vision arrived in Morocelí through the Sponsorship Program, strengthening educational spaces and providing school kits for children, including Génesis, who became a sponsored child. However, the impact did not stop there. Over time, new opportunities emerged for families in the community, especially for farmers searching for a more sustainable way to move forward.
On November 7, 2021, Don Antonio and other producers took an important step by creating the Association of Agricultural Producers and Multiple Services of the Morocelí Valley (APROVAM). Their goal was to protect the Choluteca River and responsibly use its waters to diversify crops, a vision inspired by World Vision Honduras’ THRIVE project.
“With the support of World Vision and the Municipality, we began growing vegetables like jalapeño peppers and tomatoes,” says Don Antonio. “In our first greenhouse, we planted 4,000 jalapeño plants. We produced 60,000 pounds in nine months and sold them for seven lempiras per pound.”
The results were far more positive than they had imagined. With the profits earned, the group was able to build a second production tunnel and continue expanding their crops.
Don Antonio and the members of APROVAM are among more than 4,654 farmers trained by THRIVE in improved and sustainable agricultural techniques. These trainings have enabled families to increase crop productivity, optimize resources such as water and fertilizers, and reduce losses caused by pests or inadequate practices.
“With less land, less water, and fewer inputs, we produce three times more,” says Don Antonio. “That motivated us to also grow sweet peppers, onions, and sweet corn.”
The association’s growth allowed them to move into a new phase called THRIVE Plus, where they began strengthening their productive and organizational capacities even further. But the transformation they experienced was not only economic.
The THRIVE project seeks to create holistic transformation within communities. That is why, in addition to technical agricultural training, it incorporates Empowered Worldview sessions, savings groups, and financial education.
For Don Antonio, this aspect was key.
“World Vision trained us in Empowered Worldview, and that changed everything,” he shares. “It brought us closer to God, taught us to have a clean heart, help others, and work together.”
This transformation also strengthened unity within the community.
“APROVAM has truly embraced Empowered Worldview,” explains Byron Díaz, Local Market Facilitator for the THRIVE project. “They no longer think individually, but collectively. They generate employment and have become agents of change.”
Today, more than 65,000 people in Honduras have experienced similar transformation processes through this approach.
The effort, perseverance, and teamwork of Don Antonio and his group are now producing visible results for his family.
“The economic difference is huge,” he says. “Before, I earned around 2,500 lempiras a month. Now I earn close to 20,000. I can meet my needs, save, and reinvest.”
This growth reflects the impact THRIVE has had on hundreds of farmers who now produce based on market demand rather than tradition alone. Since 2024, farmers linked to the project have sold more than 3.2 million dollars in crops.
“World Vision helped us find buyers through a consortium,” explains Don Antonio. “We sell to supermarkets like Walmart, La Colonia, and also to the local market.”
For Génesis, each of these achievements carries special meaning. She dreams of becoming a doctor and will be the first person in her family to attend university. Although her future points toward new goals, her heart remains deeply connected to the fields and to the teachings of her grandfather.
“I feel proud because everything has grown,” she says with a smile. “I like picking lemons with my grandfather. He taught me which ones are ripe, and I also enjoy helping pack the corn. That’s what my father used to do.”
For Génesis, Don Antonio represents far more than a grandfather or caregiver. He is the man who chose to hold his family together in the midst of loss, work the land for decades, and believe that a different life was possible.
His story shows that when faith, perseverance, and opportunity come together, seeds planted in community can grow into hope for an entire generation.