Please click on the following links to read Maria Pacheco's entire feature. 

 "you must meet maria pacheco"

 "a day in the life of maria pacheco"

 "q&a with maria pacheco"

 "enough with the cheerleaders; i want some players"

Maria Pacheco is the general manager and co-owner of Kiej de los Bosques, an organization dedicated to linking rural communities in Guatemala to markets, as a way to generate a prosperity that starts in the remote villages of our country...

Kiej, in alliance with the Embassy of Norway, ICCO and Hivos, has worked with 50 rural groups in Guatemala, (1300 people, mostly women) in the creation of their businesses and market access. 

Maria was also co-designer of a National Program for Economic Development, which was an IDB/World Bank loan of $60 million for Guatemala.  This program is designed to provide 300 rural groups with the technical assistance and public infrastructure required for national and international success.

Maria is also a consultant for United Nations Foundation, in developing a program that will generate sources of income for communities living in or around natural World Heritage Sites, at the same time they protect the ecosystem.  A pilot project is being carried out in Sian Kaan Reserve (forests, lagoons and reef system) in southern Mexico.  The idea is to take this program to other World Heritage Sites in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

A Fulbright Scholar with a master’s degree in agriculture from Cornell University, Maria served as co-founder and first female president of the Guatemalan Rural Entrepreneurship Association , and is part of the Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network, belonging to the Central American Initiative.  Last June, Maria with other Aspen fellows, launched the VITAL VOICES Central American Network, to facilitate that WOMEN’S VOICES in the region be heard!!

Maria is a mother of three.  Last year, Maria got married and moved to DC with her family.  She is currently starting an IMPORT BUSINESS, WAKAMI INTERNATIONAL, to import products from Guatemala, initially, and market them in the US, through their two brands:  Wakami (accessories) and Maya Botanika (hand made textiles, dyed with natural plants).  By April 30th, her new blog, WAKAMIWORLD will be up.  Here she wants to highlight people and places that make this world an amazing one!!   

Maria has recently published a book, Wakami`s Gate that shares her life journey with rural communities in Guatemala, and the amazing lesson this journey has brought not just for her, but for other people in the world, interested in LIVING IN A PLACE WITH PEACE AND LIGHT . . . AND LOVE!!

Comments (1)

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so great
written by shure microphones, July 27, 2010

She is so great.Thank you for sharing.I admire her very much.

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