Desde el 1973
Genaro Desiderio Delgado Coronado Farmer and businessman
“Las Cruces” of Jarabacoa and the poverty with in the mountains accompanied him when he was born. His attitude and physical appearance symbolize the dignified and hardworking men of the fields, ready to face challenges. Genaro is the husband of María Isabel Payano and father of Kelvin Alexander, Samuel Alexander and Isaura. Despite the economic conditions in which he lived, the farmer of 46 years reached the tenth grade, serving as an example to the neighborhood’s youth. Eight years ago, before joining the IL AC Mission and becoming a health promoter for the community of “Las Cruces,” Genaro was a laborer earning $50 Dominican pesos a day with his machete. Limited by the distance and with a family to feed, he dedicated his time to food cultivation for personal use only, because he didn’t have the possibility to sell his products. Because of his lack of resources to produce and take care of his goods, his crops were constantly damaged from being kept in open fields. Due to excessive exposure to sunrays and lack of water, in addition to the atmospheric pollution, Genaro only harvested food for his family’s consumption. Upon arriving to the farmer’s house, students from Creighton University’s Encuentro Dominicano Program became aware of his struggles, and built a 300-meter greenhouse along with a water system to supply the crops. It was the push the family needed in order to produce, sell and benefit from their crops. Thanks to this projec t, the family’s open field and greenhouse peppers are sold in Santo Domingo, generating approximately $25,000 Dominican pesos from every eight collections. Soon, they will be marketing the crops from two hectares of papaya they have since planted. “I do not regret working at ILAC. I leave everything behind when I am needed to serve in the fourteen communities of ‘Las Cruces,’” expresses the emotional micro entrepreneur, who does not hesitate to look after the people he supervises when conducting social projects and medical operatives.
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