Paula Eloisa Veliz Guitz

With courage and support of the family to success

Paula lives with her mother Escuitla in Guatemala. Because of her hearing impairment, Paula has already faced many challenges in her life. She learnt to lip read and could graduate from high school. Then she started to study graphic design but was not able to finish because of her hearing impairment. However Paula did not let her condition discourage her, and so she started to take classes in jewelry design, porcelain production and painting. In order to become self-employed, Paula participated in the WorldWideWomen-Programme in 2012 and attended management classes. In the following year she completed an additional training, in which her mother was constantly accompanying her to translate. Today Paula owns a successful business: ,,With my products, I earn between 2.500 – 3.000 Quetzales per month (approx. 300-360 Euro) and my expenses amount to 500-600 Quetzales (approx. 60-70 Euro)”, says Paula. Recently she became a mother and works from home, which enables her to run her business as well as to take on her role as a mother. Her family’s support was essential in her achievements, because it gave her the necessary confidence to unfold herself.