Johanna lives in the parish of San Joaquín, in the province of Azuay. She is the director of the Foundation Crea Tu Espacio and is committed to working with rural communities in southern Ecuador. As part of her work, she coordinates social projects that place women at the centre, promoting their autonomy, creativity and leadership skills. For Johanna, it is not just about carrying out activities but about accompanying processes that strengthen organisations from within, with a technical approach, but also with closeness and respect. 

One such process is the “Women Walking Together” project, carried out in coordination with the German organisation IBZ e.V. and with the support of the MEG programme. Two rural associations from the province of Cañar are participating in this project: the Agrocuy Jerusalén Association and the Unión Cañari Cooperative. Johanna explains that the “Women Walking Together” project has two objectives: on the one hand, to enhance women's technical knowledge of agriculture (Agrocuy Jerusalén Association) and toquilla straw weaving (Unión Cañari Cooperative) and, on the other, to support the strengthening of the organisational structure of both associations so that their initiatives generate sustainable income and can extend beyond the local sphere. 

Johanna has high expectations for the impact of “Women Walking Together” on the work of the associations, because “apart from promoting the economy and income,” the aim is for each production process to “be sustainable, not only economically, but also in terms of caring for the environment.” The aim is to help communities thrive, remain productive, and rooted in their territory, without giving up their knowledge or economic opportunities. In this regard, Johanna highlights the fundamental role of the solidarity economy, conscious production, and fair trade as ways of caring for the natural environment and social ties. 

Johanna speaks proudly of the progress made within the framework of the project “Women Walking Together”: the provision of tools, the adaptation of spaces, and the strengthening of the capacities of the women and associations participating in the project. Johanna hopes that the project will continue to bear fruit even after its formal closure and is confident that the associations will remain united, seeking new opportunities and sustaining the agricultural and artisanal traditions of their territories. Finally, Johanna emphasizes that “rural women have many ideas and a lot of creativity” and insists on the need to continue believing in them and supporting them so that they can lead their own paths.