Supporting indigenous mentors to reach more girls

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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