Sisters (in-law) are doing it for themselves in this Granada village

The silence of a village in Granada province is once again filled with children's laughter. It is not so long ago that the village of Lújar didn't have any children and the old La Venta de Lújar primary school remained closed.

But now, thanks to the hard work of two sisters-in-law, the space has been brought back to life in the form of a toy library.

Estefanía Sánchez and Marta Bonilla both studied Early Childhood Education and around one year ago they made the decision to return to their village and start the initiative. After spending years in Adra and Motril respectively, to complete their studies, the girls decided that they preferred the peace and quiet of the village they had both grown up in. "We both wanted to make our lives here and stay and live in Lújar," they explain.

They came up with the idea of starting a business in Lújar which would also allow them to work in the area in which they had studied: working with children. They contacted the town hall to ask if they could use the old school and the answer was positive. "We refurbished it entirely with our own hands", they say with laughter and pride. They laid the floor, painted the walls and brought colour back to the classrooms.

The toy library opened its doors in June 2025 and has become the meeting point for the six children from Lugo and many others who come from the neighbouring villages: Los Carlos, Cambriles, La Mamola or Castell de Ferro. "In the morning the children are at school, but in the afternoon there was nothing. Here they can come to do their homework, play, or celebrate their birthday. We wanted to offer them a place to learn and have fun without having to travel to the town," explain the founders.

Until recently families had to travel to Motril for a similar facility. Now, at 'La Galaxia Creativa' in Lújar, it is much easier for parents in the local area. Marta and Estafanía say that the most popular service is birthday parties. Parents don't have to worry about anything as the entrepreneurs organise everything themselves, from the snacks to the crafts. "They just have to come and enjoy themselves", says Estefanía.

In a rural environment where most parents work in the countryside or in agricultural cooperatives, working hours are complicated. The sisters-in-law have created a business that helps families to actually make it easier for them to stay in the village. Their aim for September is to convert the toy library into a nursery school for children up to three.

For now, the afternoons are very entertaining and combine free play with creative workshops. The activities are adapted to each age group and even to children with special educational needs. "We want everyone to have their place and feel part of this space," they say. And they succeed: Fridays are already a fixed date for many families, who sign up their children regardless of the theme of the workshop. "The important thing is that they come, have fun and learn".

The first summer school took place in 2025, with craft workshops, games, T-shirt painting and more. "The children didn't want to leave and the parents were delighted. They tell us that they finally have a place to leave their children and trust that they are well cared for", says Marta.

It is not easy to start a business in a village. Infrastructure is more limited and there are not as many people as in a town or city. But what is lacking in resources, there is plenty of support. The two entrepreneurs have seen for themselves: locals often drop by just to see how it is going, to offer a hand or simply to say hello. "Many of them studied here when it was a school. They are thrilled to see it come back to life".

The village has only about 400 inhabitants. It has two bars, no shops, and until recently there were no children. But something is changing. "More and more young people are deciding to stay," says the mayor, José Antonio González, who adds that three years ago there were no children in the village and today there are six. "It may not seem like much, but for a village like this it is a lot," says the mayor.

His dream is to reopen the old school one day: "It would be a great joy to see that building full of children again and thanks to initiatives such as the toy library, we may not be so far away from achieving this."

Difficult access to housing, the high cost of living and the desire to raise children in a natural environment are the most common reasons why people are slowly returning to villages and Lújar is an example that rural life does not have to be synonymous with abandonment. Marta and Estefanía will continue to give shape to their dream amidst laughter and glitter. "We are the example that entrepreneurship in a village is possible".

After years with no children, perhaps it is now thanks to the hard work of these two enterprising young women that the streets of this small village is once again full of life.