Supporting Nurse's Training for Women in Guatemala

Karyn Choy, mentor to the Healthcare participants, gathered 2024 participants for an exchange of experience and support on July 14. The program includes both current students and those who have graduated from their nurses training. Karyn is continuing to mentor the students who have finished their studies to help them adjust to problems they are meeting in their work roles. The program has grown from three to six scholarship recipients this year.  They each introduced themselves and told about their experience with the program and where they are in their studies.  

Karyn led a training on self care for nurses.  As nursing is a demanding profession, it is important to know how to care for yourself as well as for your patients.  She talked about the physical, emotional, and social signs tthat warn you that you are facing burn out.  She shared activities that the young women can do when they detect the warning signs.

The activities are not only important for self care but can be used to support family members, and friends.  The young women made a list of the self care actions that they can begin to implement.  They made cards with a picture of the self care activity they committed themselves to as a reminder to have in front of them daily.

To end the day they wrote messages of encouragement for each other to promote a circle of support that they can call on when they encounter difficult moments in their career and personal life.  As you can see from the smiling faces in their picture they left feeling a close community.

Your support for this program is giving these young women the tools they need to confront all the obstacles they meet to reaching the better life they seek for themselves and their community.

Approximately 35 percent of Guatemala’s population lacks access to basic healthcare services, according to USAID. These numbers are even higher among rural, indigenous populations, among which rates of stunted growth for children under five rises to 70 percent.

Kateri scholarship recipient Sandra did not need a study to tell her that her community was without healthcare, and she has a plan to do something about it.

When she applied for a Kateri Fund scholarship she said, “Since we live in a rural area, we don’t have the necessary resources to be able to frequently go to a medical center, or out of embarrassment the people don’t go. Many do not speak Spanish. They need a person they trust to accompany them in order to be comfortable.”

As a member of the community, as well as a native Kaqchikel speaker, Sandra can more easily build that sense of trust. Her plan is after graduation as a professional nurse to open a pharmacy and provide basic health care in her community.

Sandra also explains that this career path is benecial to herself and her family. Her husband works as a farmworker, and she works selling snacks. With a nursing degree, she is better able to help her family nancially and take care of her young son.

Her education will not only empower her to build her career and improve the wellbeing of her family, but the eects go far beyond her. She will use her skills to provide essential services to her community. 

Help us expand our Healthcare program to more young women like Sandra who want to serve their community.

Be ready for the GlobalGiving Little by Little Campaign! From April 8-12, when you give up to $50 to support the Kateri Fund Healthcare Program, @GlobalGiving will match your generosity at 50%. Watch for more information on how to give your support.