Rosalina Barreto Viuda de Gómez, known affectionately as Ña Rosa, is a 69-year-old resident of Pedro Juan Caballero who raised six children on her own after her husband died more than 20 years ago. According to ABC Color, she worked for 15 years on rural estates and 18 years in a school canteen to support her family, balancing the roles of both mother and father.
“I can say that they were well raised; they all have formed their own families, they are workers, entrepreneurs, and honest,” Ña Rosa told ABC Color, expressing pride in fulfilling her maternal duties despite the difficulties. She currently earns a living selling empanadas from a small bar at her home.
Ña Rosa recalled the challenges of single motherhood, especially when one of her daughters was still young. Years after her husband’s death, she found a new partner, Don Arnaldo Castro Caballero, whom her children respect and love as a father. “My children respect him and love him like a father,” she said emotionally.
Offering advice to new mothers, Ña Rosa urged: “Take care of your children and raise them with education so they develop without vices. I know many have to be both mother and father and must be strong to raise their children with discipline and responsibility.” Her story, as reported by ABC Color, highlights the resilience of a mother who remained firm in providing for her children against all odds.