Interview with Arianny Chavez

As part of our continuing series introducing the San Yves team, we sat down with Arianny Chavez, Program Manager for our community-based work across 25 rural villages. In her role, she is tasked with identifying communities for program expansion and building relationships with them.

A nursing student, mother, and lifelong volunteer, Arianny brings energy, compassion, and deep local knowledge to everything she does. Here’s a bit more about who she is, in her own words.

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Q: Where are you from and what was life like growing up?

Arianny: I was born and raised in Yoro, growing up in a neighborhood called La Cultura. My childhood was full of games in the street, time with my neighbors, and lots of mischief. I went to a school only two blocks from our home where I lived with my parents and sister. I was the youngest so I was the spoiled one in the family. 

On weekends, we’d go watch my dad play soccer, then we’d come home and spend the afternoon doing chores or playing. Sundays were always busy, too, with church and Youth Group. My sister was very involved in a lot of things so I was always tagging along with her.

Q: What kind of work experience did you have before San Yves?

Arianny: I mostly worked with NGOs doing surveys in different parts of Honduras, especially around San Pedro and the Garífuna communities on the coast. I also volunteered a lot with Jóvenes Sin Fronteras working on youth education around sexual health and planning, and with Fe y Luz, a school for children with Down Syndrome that my mom helped start here in Yoro. At church, I was a youth coordinator and served on the parish team coordinating activities for children.

Arianny, left, with other members of the NutriFund team on a trip to Yorito.

Q: What’s a typical workday like for you?

Arianny: I wake up at 6:00 to first get my son ready for kindergarten, then I catch the team bus around 7:00. If I’m going to Sulaco up in the hills, however, we leave Yoro earlier around 6 to arrive in town around 8. We grab breakfast at the home of one of our community health workers, then head to the meeting point or divide up to do surveys or home visits. We’re back in Yoro around 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. Some days I go straight home, shower, and rest. Other days, I stop by the center to check in.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work? Arianny: I love traveling through the countryside on our home visits and looking at the hills full of flowers and beautiful views. The women we serve are welcoming and generous. Even though they have little, they always offer coffee or something to eat during a visit. And I really enjoy seeing people learn. When I see a mom try something new that we taught her or understand something she didn’t before, it is a very satisfying feeling.

Q: What’s the hardest part? Arianny: Honestly, the most difficult part of this work is dealing with people who resist change. Sometimes we run into folks who are sick and desperately need help, but they don’t want to engage with us and push back against any assistance we offer. That can be frustrating.

Q: As a mother, how does that affect the way you relate to other women?

Arianny: It’s helped a lot. Raising [her son] Santiago as a single mom has taught me so much. It gives me the ability to connect with other moms, so I can offer real advice. I think it’s why I’m so accepted in the communities: I can talk easily with the women. Sometimes we’re chatting in their kitchens just like old friends. I really value that connection.

Arianny on a home visit in Quebrachal

Q: How do you build trust when entering a new community or home?

Arianny: I love socializing, and I think it's something that has come to me naturally. Speaking to strangers has never been a challenge for me. I start by greeting the kids or commenting on their flowers. I’ll ask how the weather has been, how the family’s doing, just simple conversation. Sometimes a little joke helps or mentioning how one of their kids reminds me of Santiago back home. Once that connection is made, it’s easier to have deeper conversations. 

Q: Why does your work matter?

Arianny: Because it makes people’s lives better. What we teach helps avoid illness, malnutrition, even financial hardship. One sick child can destabilize a whole family, especially when they have five or more children to look after. If we can prevent some of these illnesses through education, everything from their physical health to school performance and long-term well-being can be improved. And we’re teaching beyond just health: things like gardening, nutrition, even how to generate a little income from their own land. That matters.

Q: Can you share a story that’s stayed with you?

Arianny: There’s a girl named Martina from Quebrachal. When we met her, she was 16 or 17 with two little girls and already pregnant again. Her children were dirty, sick, and neglected. But something clicked with the education and support we gave her. With her third baby, everything changed. She kept the baby clean, took care of her older girls, started working, and really turned her life around. Watching her change her whole way of life was unforgettable.

Q: What do you imagine for this program in the future?

Arianny: There is so much need around us, and we know our program works. Kids are healthier, moms know more about their own health and that of their children, communities are stronger. I imagine us expanding this program to give more families in need these same opportunities.