Gender Equality Guatemala Project #24893

New Lives for 150 Women of the Guatemala City Dump

by Creamos

Project Report | May 6, 2021
Launching: IPV and GBV Prevention Program

By Lucy Morrell | Director of Development and Communications

As we approach Mother's Day, it's time to celebrate the importance of your ongoing support in the lives of mothers in the community surrounding the Guatemala City garbage dump.

Intake evaluations performed with Creamos’ clientele this past January indicated that over 95% of the 300 women in the program have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and/or gender based violence (GBV) during their lifetime, and only 10% sought legal or social support. According to a recent report published by Amnesty International, Creamos' intake data aligns with country-wide statistics indicating that Guatemala suffers from one of the highest rates of IPV and femicide in the world. In 2008, the Guatemalan congress passed the “Law against Femicide and Other Forms of Violence against Women” in an attempt to address this issue. Despite moderately decreased femicide rates in the years since, the impunity rate in femicide cases persists at 98% according to the United Nations, indicating a lack of governmental attention directed towards this issue. In 2010 alone, 313 women per 100,000 people reported experiencing domestic violence, and 2 per 100,00 women were victims of femicide. The effects of this injustice are amplified for those living in the GCGD squatter settlements, as many vie on scant resources, education levels among the population are astronomically low, and there is virtually no opportunity for formal employment.

This spring, with your support, Creamos is endeavoring to change this narrative. Creamos' Emotional Support Team is in the preliminary stages of launching an Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Gender Based Violence Treatment and Prevention program for for 140 women in the garbage dump community. This program has been designed to address the astronomically high rates of violence towards women and girls living in this community who are living in isolation, experiencing violence, and have never had the opportunity to access services. Some of the dangers these women face are overt, including violent acts of physical and sexual violence, while others result from more subtle gender-based pressures, including high rates of teenage pregnancy, single motherhood, multiple children per household, and lack of exposure to healthy relationships, low-self-esteem, and lack of financial independence.

This program will serve to provide 140 women who have been identified as involved in (or at risk of being involved in) abusive relationships with the tools, resources and support necessary to become strong self advocates through providing basic knowledge about the characteristics of IPV and GBV; facilitating activities to support the identification of violence in their lives and community; developing safety plans to ensure an exit option for themselves and their children; increasing exposure to life-saving services and resources in the community; and increasing the understanding of women’s rights and Guatemalan gender based violence laws.

Thank you for making programs like this possible. We're so grateful to have you with us on this journey to promote safer and more sustainable lives for the women and mothers in the community surrounding the garbage dump.

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Jan 6, 2021
A New Year for Creamos

By Lucy Morrell | Director of Development and Communications

Sep 8, 2020
Adult Education from a Distance

By Lucy Morrell | Director of Development and Communications

As schools all over the world struggle with re-entry plans for their students, we're reminded of how much we miss in-person learning with ours. With just over two months left in the Guatemalan school calendar, the government recently mandated remote learning for the rest of the year. For Creamos' teachers, this means a few more months of video calls and tutoring sessions over the phone. While we value these safety measures, we can't wait to be together in the classroom again.

In March, just three months into the inaugural year of our Adult Education Program, we were sadly required to cease in-person class sessions for all 129 of our students due to the onset of COVID-19. But just because we’re stuck inside our homes doesn’t mean we’ve given up on our studies! Our Adult Education team is finding creative solutions to keep our students on track to successfully complete their school year. Each month, our teachers create homework packets for their students, which they (safely) deliver every two weeks. These homework packets are returned to our teachers, who grade them, and call each of their students to discuss their progress. In addition, we've paid for all students to have WiFi on their phones so they’re able to receive weekly pre-recorded video lessons, engage in video tutoring sessions, and send pictures of homework that they’re having a hard time with. Our teachers and students alike have expressed their sadness in not being able to learn from each other in a group setting, but they’re finding ways to stay in touch and maintaining as much normalcy as possible given extensive logistical and technological challenges.

No matter how accessible we try to make it, studying from home is hard - especially when you have an average household size of 7 people, and you’re responsible for helping your children and siblings complete their homework - not to mention daily cooking, cleaning, and child rearing responsibilities. But our students (like Juana, pictured) continue to demonstrate an eagerness to learn. Since the transition to at-home learning, we’re proud to report that we’ve maintained a 100% student retention rate.

Our adult education program provides an opportunity for our community that many never thought they’d have - the opportunity to pursue a high school degree. Many are working full or part time, and the vast majority are parents. Our program provides the flexibility and support that this unique population requires. Education is the key to economic success for our participants within our community, whether they’re teen moms graduating from high school, or our eldest participants earning to read and write for the first time. One of our adult learners, Juanita, began working in the garbage dump when she was 9 years old. Now a 27-year-old mother of four, she walked through Creamos’ doors last year seeking emotional support. After learning about all of our program offerings from our Psychologist, she decided to begin studying. In January of 2020, Juana attended her first day of school. She recently told us the following:

“In Creamos' education program I am really happy. Even through these [COVID] circumstances, I continue to study and receive support from my teacher. It’s my first year studying, and yesterday I got my first report card ever, with an average of 87%. It has been a beautiful experience, my teacher is so caring and thoughtful and so willing to help us learn. I’ve never studied before so there are many things I don't know, but my teacher has helped me feel confident. My son is in the same grade as me, so we do our homework together. I am grateful to the institution of Creamos for this opportunity".

Like Juana, we remain as grateful as ever for the support you've provided in the past, and for your ongoing belief in our mission. Together, we are unlocking opportunities for a committed cohort of adult learners.

Links:

Learn More about Creamos

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