Yubelkis and Ernesto Cárdenas – A Courageous Daughter and Her Determined Father
El Galope, Nicaragua
For years, Ernesto Cárdenas dreamed of a better life for his wife, Doribel, and their four children. With limited opportunities in his community, he even considered migrating to Costa Rica in search of work. His long days as a farm laborer left him unable to provide even his family’s most basic needs.
At home, debts from borrowing money to buy corn seed and other inputs weighed heavily. The future felt uncertain.
But everything began to change when Ernesto’s oldest daughter, Yubelkis, heard about Agros. She attended meetings with her aunt, where she listened to the story of Ulises Rigby—a farmer whose partnership with Agros had transformed his family’s life. Inspired, she returned home and convinced her father to join.
A Turning Point – In 2024, Ernesto and his family officially joined the Harvest of Hope Center (HHC) La Bendición. Together, Ernesto and Yubelkis began learning new techniques to grow vegetables in a protected mesh house and through hydroponic systems.
For the first time, they were not just laborers—they were entrepreneurs working their own land. With technical training, they applied modern farming practices that improved their soil, boosted yields, and opened access to new markets.
Their efforts soon bore fruit. Ernesto’s harvest exceeded expectations, strengthening the family’s income and stability.
Not long ago, each family member was surviving on less than one dollar a day. Today, with the chance to work their own land and embrace better farming practices, they have tripled their income. Each person now contributes over three dollars a day, and together the family earns nearly seven dollars in net income.
This transformation means so much more than numbers. It means the family has moved beyond mere survival. They can now put nutritious food on the table, dream bigger dreams, and open new doors of opportunity for their children.
But the transformation didn’t stop there.
Transformation Beyond the Field – Through Agros’ program to improve families’ living conditions, Ernesto and Doribel’s household received a new sanitary floor—giving their children a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment to grow up in.
For the family, this change was more than bricks and mortar. It was dignity restored—a daily reminder that their journey out of poverty is real, and that with each step forward, they are building a more hopeful future for their kids.
Agros’ holistic model has touched every corner of their lives:
- Health and hygiene training, helping the family meet key wellness indicators.
- Family life planning, guiding them to set long-term goals for growth and education.
For Ernesto, the change is not only financial—it’s deeply personal:
“Thank God, through this project we’ve been blessed with improvements to our home. We’ve been taught to be more organized and to come together more as a family. Education is something I will carry with me always.”
Looking Ahead – The Cárdenas family is filled with hope and vision:
- Expand their production and farmland.
- Support Yubelkis in her dream of studying agronomy at college.
- Build a safer, more beautiful home.
- Ensure all their children can pursue professional careers.
- Live with peace of mind, knowing their family will not lack what they need.
As Ernesto says:
“My dreams are to keep working more closely with Agros, to continue learning and teaching. To expand my land, build a nicer home, give everything to my children, and live with the peace and tranquility that my family lacks nothing.”
From hardship to hope. From landlessness to legacy. The Cárdenas family’s journey is proof that when rural families own land, access financing, and learn sustainable farming, poverty loses its grip.
