Women over 50 relate their commitment to undertake

Ana Tulia Jiménez, Lucía Peraza and Silvina Schreiner were born in different countries, amid different realities and economies, and with different formations; But the three have something in common: they are over 50 years old and work in their own ventures to make a living or to be carried out professionally.

Neither older, nor old, nor outdated. Simply, Silver women. Thus they call themselves, currently, those that have this age or more and that are not ashamed of it but, on the contrary, proud to be at a point of their life where they not only remain active, but more determined, from the economic and social point of view.

To this segment, precisely, Silvina, 62, belongs. He was born in Buenos Aires, but lived 20 years in Mexico. He served as Actuaria – in charge of financial risks – in a company that closed recently, a situation that led her not only to return to her country, but to change her trade. For almost a year, he has almost fulfilled in a discipline that was passionate about several years ago: the coaching and business and personal leadership. She is also a teacher of an online diploma.

«The main challenge, it is still, is to be known, because this is a permanent task … two, realize that you are in another social system, in another order, where you often have to take the initiative to clarify and say who my client is, who should I loyalty or I must answer or report to him,» Argentina told the Voawho added that he must now organize his salary and advise because he is in charge of all areas of his business.

However, he believes that the main advantage of undertaking at this age is “staying live… we have a lot of experience, we can tell many things, we can have the serenity of saying that there are things that, even if they do not seem, resolve themselves or when one can already do nothing more than let the system resolve because maybe it is that you do not do anything, as well as before it was about doing much,” he said.

And he confessed that, due to retirement crises in the region, the important thing is that the woman at this age is still with «vitality and has a lot to give.»

An increasing segment

Experts consulted by the Voice of America They ensure that the inclusion of women, at this age, is taking more and more strength in the economy as producers of goods and services, and has led to a significant increase in workforce in the region, being one of the fastest growing segments.

Silver women represent 14 % of the total population of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and 54 % of the entire elderly population, in addition, they are those who have a life expectancy six years greater than that of men (79 versus 73 years), according to this year’s figures of the International Financial Corporation (IFC), an institution of the World Bank Group.

Uruguay, Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia are the countries throughout Latin America where they have a higher percentage of people over 50 and more than half are women.

Another interesting fact is that this segment of the population is not only very high, but is also growing. In Latin America, in the last 20 years the demographic structure has changed. There is a very important growth of the population of 50 and more and it is expected that, for example, by 2050 more than a quarter of the population is over 50 years old. The interesting thing is that of that 25 % more of the population, more than 55 % will be women.

In half a century, «in Latin America, what has taken two centuries in Europe is growing, that is, the speed of aging of the population in the region is the highest in the world,» said Yanire Braña, president of the Met Community Foundation.

Needs and challenges

José Etchegoyen, a senior global specialist in gender and inclusion of the IFC, explained to the Voa That, the woman on average in Latin America has 12 years more passive or without work than the man and that generates the challenge of obtaining additional sources of income.

In the region, in addition, women at this age normally are in a situation of greater vulnerability with lower access to salary and pensions, and are forced or motivated to achieve another source of income.

This happened to Tulia, a 76 -year -old Colombian who, almost when he turned 50, decided Find a means to survive and began to sow aromatic plants to get their ten children ahead.

He lives in a community in the municipality of Marinilla, in the department of Antioquia, within Colombia, and, although he served in different trades, related to textiles and sales, he did not find a stable job and decided to work on his own: “We worked from Earth. We cultivate, collect, dehydrate in a marquee and then we take it, we sell it. ”

In addition, it grew in a territory that was hit by violence, between 2001 and 2007, because of clashes between armed groups, and where labor opportunities become increasingly difficult under that context.

This is how the planting and marketing of rosemary, cedrón, improvena, grapefruit, chamomile, good grass or lymbol, among others, have given him to get his family ahead and, as she says, “the gas’ of the house and pa ‘one to defend themselves for their’ saliditas’, pa ‘their’ competeas’”.

The advantages of silver age

The great advantage, Braña explained, to undertake at this age is maturity: “They are people who are committed to what they do, who has their children normally raised and that is not going to leave his entrepreneurship six months later; It already has it clear, it has its commitment, it has its passion, the only thing you need, which is the same financial support, a guide or advice. ”

«The women of the 50s are that they seem to have 30 in every way, not only physically but mentally … They are totally active and focused .. they have experience, knowledge and quickly absorb everything, ”he added.

They are women who must overcome certain challenges such as stigmas, due to their age and gender, and financial and digital barriers. In addition, said the expert, of «internal, personal barriers and insecurities, that the issue of self -esteem is very characteristic.»

Some that knew how to overcome very well looked. A Guatemalan, born in Jalapa, who has always led the desire to undertake, as his grandparents did.

She was a degree in Language and Literature told the Voa That he dedicated himself first to education, but with the latent passion of opening his own business. Therefore, after working in a multineational dedicated to beauty products, he created a family business 12 years ago, which sells products from this range.

Then, study business administration and a mastery in marketing, but additionally it has a non -profit NGO, for 8 years, which supports women, in vulnerable contexts, in sustainable entrepreneurship.

“Independence for me helps a professional woman who really wants to share with the world that desire to excel, but nevertheless to carry a flag of independence under a family institution. So, I liked the issue of having economic independence, but at the same time contribute in my social part and have groups of friends to which I could share and be able to develop those networks of the social part. That is why the NGO is also born, ”he told the Voa.

Lucia said that, obviously, she felt fear, but that the desire to get ahead and her family encouraged her. So this did not stop there. Only only month and a half ago, with that same fear, he decided to open two more businesses: one dedicated to the rental of rooms for events and, another, advice and consulting.

«The most beautiful thing about this process is that I now arrive at my 50 thinking that I had already achieved that part of undertaking, I realize that no, that I still undertake … you have to reinvent yourself and in that reinvent me … you still know that you have a lot to give, that it still remains to be built. You feel a physically good woman, intellectually well … I’m starting to bloom again, because they are new challenges, ”he added.

«I have faced this age as the age of many more illusions,» he added.

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