Josefina Bueno

Kitchen Personnel, Mariposa Center

Josefina was born and raised in the Samaná Peninsula, over 150 km east of Cabarete. Of Haitian descent, the majority of Josefina’s family is in Cabarete or in Cap-Haïtien, a port city on the north coast of Haiti. Josefina has six children, four of which are girls, and one is currently enrolled in Mariposa programs. Josefina attributes her knowledge for cooking and cleaning to her colleagues Gladys and Grecia who taught her a significant amount since she joined the Mariposa Foundation team in 2021. When asked what her favorite meal to cook is, Josefina replied “todo” - everything, which speaks to her willing spirit and flexibility. In particular, she enjoys making “moro de guandules,” a Dominican dish of rice and local pigeon peas. Josefina’s favorite thing about working at the Mariposa Foundation is being in an environment surrounded by women and is grateful for all that she has learned at the Center.