A safe home, a steady job Salvadors story

For Salvador Hernández, stability means the basics: steady work, a safe place to sleep, and the ability to provide for his family. At 32, Salvador is a father of four and has worked for more than five years at EDULAG, a Fair Trade Certified agave syrup producer in Villa Corona, Jalisco, Mexico. Like many in the region, Salvador grew up with limited options. Villa Corona faces challenges with poverty and insecurity, often leaving residents with few paths forward. Salvador found a different opportunity at EDULAG. Here, he secured something rare for the area: reliable employment and safe working conditions. His job maintaining and cleaning agave fields allows him to support his family with dignity. Life at home, however, was difficult. Salvador, his wife, and their four children shared a single room built from sheet metal with a dirt floor. When it rained, water leaked through the roof and walls, soaking the ground. To stay dry at night, the family had to cover their beds with plastic sheets. When EDULAG’s Fair Trade Committee launched a housing initiative using Community Development Funds, Salvador was skeptical. Even as he watched houses go up for his coworkers, he hesitated to apply, believing others needed the help more than he did. Encouraged by a friend, he finally approached the committee. Construction on his home began in 2024. Salvador and his family now live in a sturdy, blue, one-story house. It features three bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, living areas, and solar panels. Their old home now serves as storage and a space for his five dogs. Salvador’s family is one of 26 households and 120 beneficiaries supported by the project, which has invested $232,240 USD in Fair Trade Premium funds since 2020. In a country where home ownership is often out of reach for working families, this change is significant. For Salvador, the new house offers safety, health, and peace of mind. For his children, it provides a secure and permanent place to grow up and call home. Grateful for this change, Salvador is now giving back. He has joined the Fair Trade Committee as a representative, working alongside his colleagues to extend the housing project and impact to more families.