This weekend several cultural activities will be held to commemorate the life of Francisca “Pancha” Carrasco Jiménez, peasant and Costa Rica’s first woman in the military. Carrasco is most famous for joining the defending forces at the Battle of Rivas in 1856. She was declared “Patriotic Freedom Defender” and a “National Heroine.”
She was born on July April 7th, she was mestizos and mulattos’ daughter, she was three times widow, she learned to read and write at a time when women were not allowed to go to school. Due to the political instability, when it was necessary to fight against the filibusters, she did not hesitate to enlist to defend the freedom and sovereignty of her country.
Inspired by her, in her courage and example of life, women, artisans, micro entrepreneurs, artists and entrepreneurs organized some cultural events.
Knowing the history is to better understand the present, learn from the past and to have inspiration for the future.