International Indigenous Women's Day 2023

CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS WOMEN’S DAY 2023

Indigenous People’s Day (LINK) and International Indigenous Women’s Day (LINK) recognize Indigenous peoples around the world, the challenges they face and the role they play to maintain their cultural heritage, language and practices, including traditional foods and farming. Women play a key leadership role in this movement and in the goal to protect and restore the environmental health of their traditional homelands.

ViviendasLeón has been working since March with 23 indigenous women from the Los Planes community in Santa Lucía Utatlán, Guatemala.  The Mayan communities of Central America live with multiple challenges including lack of food security, unemployment, and access to education. Additionally, indigenous women have faced violence and discrimination. Our training program works to restore women’s self-esteem, personal empowerment, agency, social development, and technical skills to take on the challenges of the multiple needs they have lived with for generations.

The program helps participants preserve their culture, practices, and way of life. It also provides a safe environment where the women can come together and build lasting connections to support each other. They have an opportunity to discuss topics that are often still regarded as taboo in their communities, like women’s health. They’ve expressed how important and transformative it can be to talk about these issues.

Elma, a mother in the program (on the left):

"I didn't know when to start talking to my daughter about menstruation, but in this workshop I realized that I should do it now, she is currently 10 years-old and I prefer to be the one who guides her and advises her on all the changes that she will begin to face as a woman from this moment on"

Help women like Elma build deeper relationships with other women in their communities. Donate today.