An unstoppable mother in the face of adversity

Paula, a mother from an Indigenous community in northern Salta, tells her story of overcoming obstacles and of the support she received from Pata Pila.

In the vulnerable communities of northern Argentina, where the lack of water, limited access to health care and education, and child malnutrition are part of everyday life, the role of mothers takes on fundamental value. They not only support their families, they embody resilience and the hope for a better future for their communities.

The lack of access to health care is one of the problems that most affects families' quality of life. A shortage of specialists, and medical centers without equipment or medicine, add to this serious health problem in the area.

There is no public policy on infrastructure, roads, hospital care or training of professionals, even though the children need follow-up. And so, just as they enter hospitals, they leave and come back again, because their living conditions are the same and are in fact part of the illness.

In this context, the story of Paula, an Indigenous woman who attends the Pata Pila Center, an organization that works with families living in extreme poverty in Argentina, takes on value and vindicates this constant struggle. She is one of those women who, despite adversity, has shown that the strength of love and determination can transform lives.

Limited access to health care: the beginning of a long struggle

Paula arrived at the Pata Pila center in Embarcación, Salta, looking for an answer she couldn't find. Her daughter, whom she watched with concern, was not receiving the diagnosis she needed. "I knew something wasn't right with her, but the doctors told me it was normal. I felt desperate. When they told me about Pata Pila I thought: 'I'll see if they can help me,'" says Paula. The reality of her community, like that of many others in Salta, makes it hard to access basic health services. Although there is a hospital nearby, referrals to specialized hospitals are hours away from the town, and access to transportation is scarce or practically nonexistent.

Approximately 500 Indigenous communities belonging to more than 14 Indigenous peoples live in the province of Salta. These communities live in conditions of structural poverty, facing extreme difficulties such as restricted access to drinking water and health services, as well as child malnutrition. Yet amid these difficulties, women like Paula are the hope for change, the force that sustains the future of their families and communities.

Through the support of the Pata Pila team, Paula discovered that her daughter had a developmental delay, a diagnosis that changed her life. "What helped me most was not just the diagnosis, but the support they gave me to accept it. They taught me that my daughter is not her diagnosis, and that with love and patience she can overcome barriers that once seemed impossible to me," she adds.

A change for her life

But the biggest change in Paula's life was not just for her daughter, but for herself. Paula changed the way she sees things, and with it her life. "At first, it was hard for me to accept that my daughter had a problem. I knew something wasn't right, but I refused to see it. Today, thanks to Pata Pila, she is a different girl. She does things she couldn't before. It's as if she had been reborn." Paula reflects on how her own attitude changed too: "Sometimes, without realizing it, you are the one who isolates the kids out of fear that they'll be made fun of. But children have to be children: play, fall down, get back up. Today I look at her and I feel proud."

Besides finding a new way of seeing her daughter, Paula also started a new path. "Being at Pata Pila I have realized that if you set your mind to it, you can. They give us tools to face different situations, they teach us and we learn. I have taken painting and sewing workshops. With that I was able to make backpacks, cushions, bags with drawings."

In her community, marked by structural poverty and discrimination, self-esteem is a constant challenge. Paula knows this well: "Valuing yourself, loving yourself is the first thing, accepting yourself. Many times they told me I was useless, and I believed it. But now I know that I am worth a lot, that I can do a lot and that I will be able to do more." Every small step toward her personal development is reflected in her daily life. "I've had to overcome many obstacles to feel at peace and calm with my children. These days, when I feel bad or down, what I do is take a shower and comb my hair. That changes me. One day, while cleaning a floor, I shook out a rag and that rag was me. That's how I felt, but I learned to overcome that feeling."

The future in her hands

Paula's story is the story of many women in northern Argentina who, despite adversity, get up every day with the strength and love needed to move their families forward. Paula, who not only looks after her children but also follows her own dreams, is an example of this. "I dream of having a tertiary or university degree. I come from a family that says 'we are Indigenous and we can't,' but I tell them yes, we can. And here I am, standing, fighting for my children, for myself. My eldest daughter is in her second year of nursing, and the other is in her fourth year of high school. It fills me with pride to see them grow and surpass themselves every day."

Despite her difficult economic situation and living in a house of barely 6x5 meters, Paula found something more valuable than any material possession: the peace and happiness of seeing her daughters healthy and strong. "Having my girls well, that is happiness. Today, even though I don't have much, I have peace. And I am happy."

Pata Pila: support that goes further

Pata Pila's impact on her life goes beyond supporting her daughter. "They taught me that I am a woman and that I am worth a lot, that I can do many things for myself. I went back to school, I learned to sew, and I changed my routine. Today I feel I can achieve whatever I set my mind to."

Paula Arias's story resonates as a reminder of the courage and strength of so many women who, in the silence of their homes and amid difficult realities, fight every day for a better future. They are the ones who weave the destiny of their families and communities, reminding us that, however hard life may be, love and resilience can transform everything.

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