With Our Women’s Hands, a short documentary by Asael Talavera, tells the story of women coffee cultivators in Honduras and the adversity they face in making a living.
Asael Talavera captures footage whilst interviewing his subject Carmen Maldonado (pictured).Courtesy of Asael Talavera
Asael Talavera learned to create short films by watching tutorials on YouTube. He realized he had a talent when he was selected to complete the Solutions Storytelling Project (SSP): Latin America by Video Consortium, supported by the Skoll Foundation. The program helped him hone his skills as a filmmaker and before long he had created his first documentary, APINÁN - WE THE LENCA. Talavera told MY HERO
I have always been drawn to documentary filmmaking as a way to immortalize the voices of the protagonists of their own stories, through an observational lens that allows the narrative to reveal itself naturally.
Courtesy of Asael TalaveraAsael Talavera
The idea for With Our Women’s Hands arose when Talavera was assigned the organization Root Capital for his documentary project with SSP. It was through Root Capital that he learned about AMPROCAL, an organization dedicated to supporting women coffee growers in Honduras, and he decided to make them the focus of his work. “I felt it was essential to give visibility to women who, through their daily work, are creating a positive impact on their families and their country,” Talavera said.
One of the women that Talavera met was Carmen Maldonado, who became the main subject of With Our Women’s Hands. “I felt that Carmen Maldonado’s story needed to be told,” said Talavera, “she represents the reality of many Honduran women who, despite adversity, manage to achieve their goals.” He went on to explain
Carmen is a living example of resilience and determination. Her story shows that adversity can become the driving force that pushes us to move forward. It also sheds light on a current issue: the growing loss of interest in agricultural production. While many leave the countryside to migrate elsewhere, Carmen belongs to one of the last generations still making a living from coffee. Her story also reflects the challenges posed by climate change and the lack of support for coffee producers—factors that threaten the sustainability of the industry.
It was not just Carmen, but all the women involved with AMPROCAL that inspired Talavera. Each of the women were not only extremely passionate about their work, but about supporting and uplifting each other and bettering their communities. Due to lack of gender equality around land ownership, control over one’s income, and access to education, coffee cultivation as a profession is heavily dominated by men.[1] The women at AMPROCAL work incredibly hard to overcome these challenges together. “They have managed to carve out a significant space in an industry traditionally led by men,” Talavera explained, “demonstrating that cooperation and solidarity are key to creating change.”
Courtesy of Asael TalaveraWomen coffee cultivators select coffee beans by hand.
On being an Official Selection at the MY HERO International Film Festival, Talavera explained
Being selected for the MY HERO 20th International Film Festival was an indescribable thrill. Knowing that Carmen’s story was reaching beyond borders made this project more than just a short documentary: it became a testament to the power of documentary cinema to reach unexpected places and amplify voices that deserve to be heard.
Courtesy of Asael TalaveraAsael Talavera stands with Carmen Maldonado and members of the crew at Root Capital.
Watch With Our Women’s Hands here.
About The Asociación de Mujeres Productoras de Café La Labor (AMPROCAL)
The Asociación de Mujeres Productoras de Café La Labor (AMPROCAL) was founded in 2007 by a small group of women who wanted to support women coffee growers in Honduras. As most women there do not have the same access to owning land as their male counterparts, AMPROCAL ensures that they receive adequate recognition and pay for their work. It also provides agricultural training and education, with a focus on sustainable practices, with support from other organizations such as Root Capital. AMPROCAL also offer financial support to coffee cultivators that do not have access to fair credit rates.[2]
Learn more about AMPROCAL here.
About Root Capital
Root Capital is a nonprofit organization working to support rural communities in the poor areas of Africa, Asia, Mexico and Central America, and South America. With a strong focus on four key areas—access to finance, climate action, women’s empowerment, and youth—Root Capital works to increase the welfare of those most in need. On their website, they explain
With the right support, agricultural enterprises can act as engines of impact for their local communities—raising incomes, creating jobs, uplifting women and young people, preserving vulnerable ecosystems, and building rural prosperity.[3]
Learn more about Root Capital here.
About the MY HERO International Film Festival
The MY HERO International Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing films that celebrate the power of the human spirit. The festival provides a platform for filmmakers to share inspirational stories of everyday heroes. Thanks to generous sponsors, prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college and professionals in a variety of categories including documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.
The festival aims to inspire audiences to recognize the heroism in their own lives and encourage positive actions in their communities. Learn more.
[1] https://sucafina.com/na/offerings/amprocal-manos-de-mujer-fw-fto
[2] Ibid.
Page created on 11/3/2025 5:04:01 PM
Last edited 11/3/2025 5:17:10 PM
