Yuli Vásquez

She could not go to school, she had to work. She bought the land where she lives today by selling crop leftovers. Now she drives progress  in favour of the mothers of her community.

“We are demonstrating that we do not need a man to be someone”

How did you react when you heard that you had won Mistura’s contest?

We were all together, we were so excited. The day the chef who tried our dish came, I told him to remember us because we were going to win. “Very well, madam”, he replied, “that’s the attitude!”

And so the girl who could not go to school ended up next to the President of Peru in Government Palace.

Yes! I could not believe my eyes. I shook hands with Gastón Acurio and took a picture with him. I never thought I would be on TV, that I would be interviewed, I was so nervous! I could not believe it... I have no studies, can you imagine what would have happened if I did?