Since December 2022, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with a group of women from “Los Planes” and “Paxub’” communities in the municipality of Santa Lucía Utatlán, Sololá, Guatemala, empowering them on various topics that are key to their personal and collective development. Throughout this time, we have addressed topics such as self-esteem, emotional education, human rights, women’s health, financial education, and healthy eating. It has been an incredible experience to see how these women, initially with doubts and insecurities, have evolved into more confident people and able to express themselves and defend what they think.
The process has not been easy, but the effort has been worth it. At first, many of them were shy to talk about their bodies, their rights, or even their finances. As we progressed with the sessions, I was able to observe how they gained confidence and became agents of change for themselves and their families.
Today, these women not only feel more confident in themselves, but also have the ability and tools to confidently make decisions. Seeing their personal and collective growth has been one of the greatest rewards of my work, and I feel honored to have been part of their journey to empowerment.
In June 2023, I stopped being the group facilitator and rose to the position of director, in order to continue supporting and contributing to our beneficiaries more broadly.
In 2024, 10 of our 20 women beneficiaries, each representing a family, received the materials to create an organic garden. This project not only seeks to improve their diet, but also to provide a source of income.
It has been inspiring to see how each woman has responsibly involved herself, alongside their families, in the care and maintenance of the harvest. This collective commitment has fostered a stronger bond between them, and we are excited about the upcoming first production from the gardens.
The family is the foundation of our society, and it is essential to promote projects that keep them united, working together to achieve their dreams. The families we work with, many of whom are low-income and some headed by single mothers, have demonstrated that cooperation and mutual support are critical to success and community empowerment.
