Hello!

I am requesting support because a dear friend has requested support from me, and I want to amplify her story and need.

I met Veronica in 2019 when I spent several weeks living with her family near Puyo, Ecuador at Guayusa Runa. She lives now in Juri Juri with her family, which I also got to spend some time there. It was an experience that truly changed my life. Veronica, her parents, her siblings, and her children were all so welcoming and had so much fun learning, playing, working, and being. They truly treated me like family. Recently Veronica has had some health issues and then her husband left her to care for 5 children while in recovery. My heart is truly aching for these precious humans. It takes a lot of courage to share about challenging and vulnerable situations, and I hope at the very least you can take a moment to send your best wishes to Veronica and her family. At the moment, I am pledging $300.

Below, I will share a message directly from her in Spanish and then below translated in English.

She is requesting to raise $5000 for her family, and your help is greatly appreciated. I have lowered it to $1500 for now because there have been 0 responses to this page. If I could, I would match it but I am not in that position at the moment. Even $5 goes a long way. Even if you are unable to contribute financially; a comment, a thought, or a wish said out loud wishing her and her family health and strength goes a long way, truly! ❣️

——

Mi nombre es Verónica Irene Guatatuca Santi, tengo 36 años y soy de la cultura indígena Kichwa, de la Amazonía Puyo, Pastaza Ecuador. Hace casi un año, el 10 de enero de 2025, me realizaron una operación de hernia grave que me cambió la vida. La cirugía fue un proceso difícil, y justo en ese momento donde necesitaba una gran ayuda y apoyo de mi pareja, me abandonó y se fue. Me dejó sola con el dolor y el malestar de la recuperación.

Me dejó sola con nuestros cinco hijos, que aún dependen de mí para todo. Antes que él nos abandonara y me dejara en ese estado de salud, perdí a una nena de dos añitos y aún llevo el duelo en mi corazón. Soportando tanto dolor, fue un golpe devastador justo en el momento en que más necesitaba de su apoyo. Me dejó con el peso de la responsabilidad de cuidar a nuestros cinco hijos y con el corazón del duelo al perder a mi nena de dos añitos, sin ningún tipo de ayuda emocional o económica.

Este abandono no solo me afectó a mí, sino también a mis hijos, que están viviendo un trauma psicológico por la separación y el abandono de su padre. Están luchando para entender por qué su padre los dejó, y yo estoy luchando por ser fuerte por ellos. A pesar de todo, no me rindo. Me levanté y me sigo levantando con la fuerza de una madre que lucha por sus hijos. Comencé a trabajar, así enferma, poco a poco, haciendo artesanías y limpiezas para mantener a mis hijos. Soy madre y padre para ellos, y mi objetivo es darles un futuro mejor. Uno de mis hijos está a punto de acabar su colegiatura, y sigo apoyándolo.

Quiero seguir adelante con mi emprendimiento. Tengo un lugar donde educo y enseño a los niños y niñas de mi comunidad indígena a tejer artesanías y recolectar semillas, que es parte de nuestra cultura y tradición en mi pueblo. Educo y enseño a las personas sobre la importancia de preservar nuestra cultura y nuestra madre tierra. Mis hijos están creciendo y están aprendiendo de mí, de los valores de mis padres y de sus abuelos, nuestra herencia.

Sin embargo, estoy enfrentando desafíos para seguir adelante. Mi salud aún no está completamente recuperada, y mis hijos se han enfermado. Mi emprendimiento educativo es mi pasión y mi sustento, no está funcionando como debería. Necesito ayuda para poder seguir trabajando y cuidando de mis hijos.

Esta ayuda es crucial para mí y mis hijos. Nos permitirá seguir adelante y superar los desafíos que hemos enfrentado. Queremos seguir siendo una familia fuerte y unida, y esta ayuda nos dará la oportunidad de hacerlo. Además, mi emprendimiento educativo no solo es una fuente de ingreso, sino también una forma de preservar nuestra cultura y proteger la biodiversidad, y compartir con el mundo y enseñarle a cuidar.

*¿Cómo se utilizará la recaudación de fondos?*

La recaudación de fondos se utilizará para:

- Cubrir gastos médicos y de recuperación para mí y mis hijos

- Reparar y restaurar la escuela educativa cultural de tejido artesanal, que se encuentra dañada y necesita arreglos para recibir a los estudiantes

- Apoyar el funcionamiento de la escuela y el emprendimiento educativo para el beneficio de la comunidad

- objetivo de recaudación de fondo mínimo de 5,000 a 10,000 a lo que esté a su alcance lo recibo con mucha humildad y muy agradecida.

—

My name is Verónica Irene Guatatuca Santi, I am 36 years old and I am from the Kichwa indigenous culture, from the Amazon region of Puyo, Pastaza, Ecuador. Almost a year ago, on January 10, 2025, I underwent a serious hernia operation that changed my life. The surgery was a difficult process, and just when I needed great help and support from my partner, he abandoned me and left. He left me alone with the pain and discomfort of recovery.

He left me alone with our five children, who still depend on me for everything. Before he abandoned us and left me in that state of health, I lost my two-year-old daughter, and I still carry the grief in my heart. Enduring so much pain, it was a devastating blow at the very moment I needed his support the most. He left me with the weight of the responsibility of caring for our five children and with the heartbreak of losing my two-year-old daughter, without any emotional or financial support.

This abandonment not only affected me, but also my children, who are experiencing psychological trauma from the separation and abandonment by their father. They are struggling to understand why their father left them, and I am struggling to be strong for them. Despite everything, I don't give up. I got up and I continue to get up with the strength of a mother who fights for her children. I started working, even while sick, little by little, making handicrafts and cleaning to support my children. I am both mother and father to them, and my goal is to give them a better future. One of my children is about to finish school, and I continue to support him.

I want to continue with my entrepreneurial project. I have a place where I educate and teach the children of my indigenous community to weave handicrafts and collect seeds, which is part of our culture and tradition in my village. I educate and teach people about the importance of preserving our culture and our Mother Earth. My children are growing up and learning from me, from the values ​​of my parents and their grandparents, our heritage. However, I am facing challenges in moving forward. My health is not yet fully recovered, and my children have fallen ill. My educational enterprise, which is my passion and my livelihood, is not functioning as it should. I need help so I can continue working and taking care of my children.

This help is crucial for me and my children. It will allow us to move forward and overcome the challenges we have faced. We want to remain a strong and united family, and this help will give us the opportunity to do so. Furthermore, my educational enterprise is not only a source of income but also a way to preserve our culture and protect biodiversity, and to share this with the world and teach others to care for it.

*How will the funds be used?*

The funds raised will be used to:

- Cover medical and recovery expenses for myself and my children

- Repair and restore the cultural weaving school, which is damaged and needs repairs to accommodate students

- Support the operation of the school and the educational enterprise for the benefit of the community

- My fundraising goal is a minimum of $5,000 to $10,000. I will gratefully accept whatever you can contribute.