Improving Maternal-Infant Health for Mayan Women

Since we last checked in with our Family Planning Champions (FPC) team, they had just selected ten new champions from the municipality of San Lucas Toliman to join the project. These ten women recently finished their two-month intensive training period, during which they met once a week to learn about sexual and reproductive health and family planning. Now the champions will meet once a month for follow-up training.

The champions were very engaged throughout the training. For all of them, it was the first time that they formally learned about sexual health. “We gave the champions notebooks when we started the program, and during each training they diligently took notes and asked questions,” comments Vilma Mendoza, the project manager.

Now, the champions will begin to give charlas, chats, on family planning and reproductive health in their own communities. “The champions start by giving informal charlas to their family members,” explained Vilma. During the FPC training sessions, Pueblo a Pueblo staff reviewed tips and techniques to keep in mind when talking about these themes. For the next training, a former FPC champion from Santiago Atitlan will come and share some lessons learned with the current champions in San Lucas.

“Talking about family planning and sexual health is still very taboo in rural communities throughout Guatemala,” Rebeca Sosof, the project assistant, explained. “That’s why we also equip the champions with tools on how to best communicate these themes to other women in their communities, who also have never formally learned about reproductive health.”

After charlas with family members, the champions will begin to give formal workshops to broader community audiences beginning in June. “It’s always exciting to see women empowering other women in their communities,” Vilma commented. “This is how the cycle of empowerment continues.”