Juana Nohelia Bonilla (Class of 2004, Honduras) realized early on that community is built and sustained through shared experiences: over coffee breaks, while making tortillas with families, and by exchanging knowledge with those who plant and care for the land. It was at EARTH where she truly understood that these elements are key to being able to dedicate one’s life to the positive transformation of rural territories. She gained a deeper understanding of a community’s strengths and challenges, allowing her to find ways to enhance what works and eliminate or reduce what doesn’t work. For Nohelia, listening to those who know and understand their environment is essential to becoming a well-rounded professional who works with empathy and employs a horizontal approach.
As a student, Nohelia took part in the Community Development Program (CDP), where she learned that true knowledge is built in the field alongside those who have worked the land for generations. Upon graduating from EARTH 20 years ago, she began working in cooperative organizations, helping to promote the adoption of new agricultural techniques and better market access. Her work has enabled many farmers to transition from being individual sellers to forming competitive associations that generate higher incomes and stability for their families.
“There’s something I call ‘emotional salary,’ which is about seeing how the work we do as professionals impacts a certain territory and witnessing how families improve their quality of life: they can send their children to school, have a more decent home, and generate surpluses for their future. Our work in the field and with communities leaves a mark, and that is the greatest reward,” says Nohelia, who has worked as an advisor with organizations such as Heifer International and Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI Global).
In December 2024, after 20 years away, Nohelia returned to Costa Rica and to the EARTH Guácimo Campus to participate in the Alumni Reunion, an event where alumni celebrating five-year graduation milestones reunite at EARTH, their second home.
During that time, she chose to stay at Finca María José, near the campus, an agroecological tourism farm where she had worked as a student. As part of the CDP, she and her classmates visited the farm weekly to work alongside Ana Quirós, the owner, and her family.
“Seeing the evolution of Finca María José, from those days when we helped clean and maintain the medicinal plants, to what it is today, is truly incredible. It’s a testament to the impact of constant work and the value of learning from those who have walked the path before us. I believe that witnessing the transformation of a project like this allowed me to confirm that the connection between academia and the community and working directly with producers to learn from their mistakes and replicate their successes, is necessary to transform realities and build a sustainable legacy.”
Reuniting with former university classmates and the Finca María José community reaffirmed Nohelia’s commitment to the communities in her country. “The training at EARTH gave us a bit of everything: agronomy, business, community… It taught us how to solve problems, to learn as we go.”
Today, after two decades of professional experience, Nohelia continues to advocate for inclusive rural development, where local knowledge serves as the foundation for building a more sustainable future.