Rosa's Story - Coady International Institute - St. Francis Xavier ...

that were part of indigenous
culture in Chimborazo
province. From the Spanish
conquest until the 1960s
there were few independent
indigenous communities. “The
most important relationship
for many household survival
strategies was the ‘vertical’
link to the hacienda, rather
than ‘horizontal’ ties among
families” (World Bank, 2000).
One of the most influential
factors that changed this
dynamic was the active
involvement of the Catholic
Jambi Kiwa members from Pungol preparing
plants for shipping to the factory
Church. Bishop Proaño played a strong role in breaking up the haciendas controlled
by the Church and in promoting community initiatives through the diocese’s pastoral
program. Jambi Kiwa built on these efforts to create producer organizations
at the village, zonal and provincial levels. Over the past two generations, communities
like Cuatro Esquinas have built bonding social capital through communitydriven
projects requiring the expansion of local social networks (see figure 6).
As Cuatro Esquinas resident Luis Guamán explains, the community works well
together, since individuals have respect and confidence in one another: “This person
beside me is my neighbour, but I treat him like a brother. If we have some differences,
[or if] something goes wrong between us, I don’t go and complain. I go and
talk with him” (personal communication, October 14, 2004). The consequence of this
dialogue, he says, is a common vision for developing the community together.
Jambi Kiwa has created a grassroots organization by building on the bonding social
capital at the family and community levels and developing bridging relationships
with members across various districts of Chimborazo. Rosa explains that Jambi
Kiwa is rooted in families and groups of families, strengthened by each branch or
zonal group, and crowned with the Association itself. She illustrates how relationships
are supported at the zonal level: “We have monthly meetings [to] plan the
community work, the harvests, what is to be planted and the maintenance needed
in the gardens” (personal communication, October 14, 2004).
Jambi Kiwa’s network of external relationships is evidence that it has “bridged”
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