devastating effects on women's health. In addition, the prolonged exposure to a

pesticide-saturated environment involves another negative effect of employment on

women. Since they are manipulating flowers treated with high amounts of pesticides,

there is a high risk of getting degenerative illness, even after they have left the flower

work. In fact, there are reports about the high rate of morbidity due to pesticide exposure

in other flower areas of Ecuador. It is common that women workers suffer from

headache, excessive salivation, nausea, stomachache, weakness, excessive sweatiness,

and other maladies that could be linked with pesticide exposure.

 Another negative result of flower employment is the regret of mother workers with

children. Since they cannot be in contact with their children for long hours every day,

these children generally are not under any adult family care. This situation involves poor

performance at school, bad nutrition, and other associated problems that are assumed by

women as direct effects of their decision of get a job. This element encompasses a

psychological burden for women workers.

 Is Flower Employment an Illusion for Women?

 Flower employment has instilled much hope for young Ecuadorian peasant women

who expect to fulfill material needs and improve in personal terms through this work. As

explained, the positive effect of employment on women is definitely income, which

beyond fulfilling material needs, is relevant to improving women's self esteem, and

providing some autonomy. In addition, income allows women workers to recuperate the

traditional role of being active in household's economy, which is likely to improve also

gender relations.

 But unfortunately, these positive effects are transient, because women unavoidably

can not keep the flower job after a few years. And at that time, they do not have enough