Supporting indigenous mentors to reach more girls

Now more than ever we are working to make a difference, now more than ever we are keeping our promise to support Mayan girls and adolescents to reach their life plan. Even though we can’t provide girls clubs in safe spaces for the girls, due to the social distancing measures needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we are making sure to remotely be as close as we can. We are providing them information they can trust and contacts they can reach for help if they need to. 

Mentors in the communities are actively helping us to asses the situation and to keep in touch with girls involved in the program to be as pertinent in our response as we possibly can. As Abriendo Oportunidades, we are establishing alliances at a national and regional level to assure our efforts reach the most vulnerable communities. We are currently working on a radio adaptation of the program and will find ways to keep the mentors engaged.

We are looking at four rough months ahead, in terms of lockdowns and collapse of an already weakened public health system. Now more than ever, we appreciate your help to continue helping those who needs it the most. Thank you for sticking with us.

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Ahora más que nunca estamos trabajando para hacer la diferencia, ahora mas que nunca estamos manteniendo nuestra promesa para apoyar a niñas y adolescentes indígenas a alcanzar sus planes de vida. A pesar de que no podemos proveerles de espacios seguros, debido al distanciamiento social necesario para prevenir el contagio de COVID-19, estamos asegurándonos de estar lo más cerca posible de manera remota. Estamos proveyendo información en la cual pueden confiar y contactos a los cuales pueden acudir si necesitan ayuda.  

Las mentoras estan ayudándonos activamente a atender la situación y mantenernos en contacto con las niñas involucradas en el programa para que nuestras respuestas sean lo más pertinentes posibles. Como Abriendo Oportunidades, estamos estableciendo alianzas a nivel nacional y regional para asegurar que nuestros esfuerzos alcancen a las comunidades más vulnerables. Actualmente, estamos trabajando  en una adaptación del programa para poder pasarlo en la radio y mantener a las mentoras involucradas.

Estamos pronosticando cuatro meses difíciles, en términos de aislamiento y colapso de sistemas de salud. Ahora más que nunca, apreciamos su ayuda para continuar ayudando a quienes lo necesitan más. Gracias por siempre mantenerse con nosotros. 

#pandemic #covid #Covid-19 #action #now #guatemala #opportunties #abriendooportunidades #actnow

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Hello dear donors!

In the last report we told you about the new alliance between K’wa and REDMI Aq’ab’al. We are glad to tell you it has been working amazingly. The team is all wrapped up! They have already recruited a project administrator, an accountant, mentors, and tutors for the implementation of Abriendo Oportunidades® in the communities of Alta Verapaz and Quiche. Now that the team is complete, both parts have signed a contract to demonstrate that they are committed to the success of this project.

Each organization has different roles in this alliance. K’wa is monitoring the progress and helping with funds, which complement your donations to make all this possible. On the other hand, REDMI oversees all the project implementation. They started visiting communities in the last months and talked with community leaders to establish an alliance in which they help to provide safe spaces and support the project. Results have been promising on the communities, they have shown interest in the project and want to help in the implementation process.

All results have been as good as expected and we hope they continue to be this way. We have seen the potential of Abriendo Oportunidades® to ensure the wellbeing of girls and adolescents in rural communities and we sure want to expand these opportunities around the country. So, many thanks for growing with us, we are changing Guatemalan girls lives and you are part of it. Hope this makes you smile and feel good.

In the last report we told you about our plans of expanding the program to reach more girls in new communities. Plans have slightly changed; the implementation of Abriendo Oportunidades® in seven new isolated communities in western Guatemala had to be paused due to the current political climate (state of siege). We hope to reach these girls in the near future. However, our mission to empower girls continues with the implementation of the program in 8 new communities; in Alta Verapaz, central Guatemala and Quiche, the quiche indigenous group was the worst hit of all the indigenous groups of Guatemala during the thirty-year war.

Reaching these girls involved the establishment of a new alliance with K’wa and REDMI Aq’ab’al. K’wa is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote the survival skills and dignity of vulnerable populations, especially girls and adolescents impacted by violence and poverty. They implement educational programs in rural communities that are scarcely served. While REDMI Aq’ab’al is a network of mentors graduated from Abriendo Oportunidades®, they have received funding from the Population Council and other organizations. Their main goal is to prioritize the needs of girls, adolescents and young women from rural areas of the Western Highlands of Guatemala.

Their expertise will allow the well-adapted implementation of the programs’ different spin-offs, designed to satisfy the girls’ diverse contexts and needs. We will set up mentor led girl groups where participants will be learning about human rights, financial education, gender-based violence, self-esteem, life-planning and technology. They will spend time playing and learning, while constructing a strong network of young women leaders in the community. This is the power of your donation. We hope to continue having you as part of the Abriendo Oportunidades® team. None of this would be possible without your help.

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Population Council team in Guatemala has been busy preparing to expand work with 500 girls between the ages of 8 and 24 in seven new isolated communities in western Guatemala. Our goal is to help girls, adolescents and young women have a safer transition to adulthood . We will be setting up mentor led girl groups where participants will be learning about their human rights, financial education, gender-based violence and self-esteem. Girls and adolescent girls will spend time playing and setting bonds amongst each other while becoming a strong network of young women leaders in the community.

As part of the Abriendo Oportunidades strategy to support secondary education for Rural Maya adolescent girls and young women we will set up eight new alternative secondary education schools in these communities. We have had the privilege to meet with education authorities in the region who are champions for girls education and prevention of child marriage. And our first encounter with over 20 community leaders was a success. Many communities are getting ready for the beginning of the project in October 2019 setting up community venues that will turn into safe spaces and alternative secondary education classrooms.

Thanks for helping us reach more girls, more places, more opportunities and long term results.

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June 5: Technology Fair in Xeabaj II, Nahualá.

The technology projects carried out by Makerspaces were presented. They were guided in their learning process by an innovative mentor, Feliciana Jaminez. 

This space is conformed by girls and adolescents empowered through technology. It has allowed them to learn about programming platforms and activities with computer kits.The objective of this space has been to provide the tools and skills for the development of computational thinking and the design of electronic devices. 

Some of their projects include: an electronic circuit that turns on a LED light, sensors that measure the temperature of the body, a safe with a security code and an automatized irrigation system.

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