Menstrual Equity for Girls in Latin America

Thanks to your gift, the Unlimited Potential of Mayan Girls GlobalGiving campaign women and girls continue to receive vital tools and education to ensure they are able to handle their menstruation with health and dignity. Days for Girls Guatemala shifted its primary focus during the past year due to the pandemic. Our ability to conduct traditional DfG menstrual Kit distributions was limited as schools closed. However, using your donated funds, our Guatemala team found innovative ways to continue serving the indigenous populations across Guatemala and the region. The following are just some of their recent activities and successes.

• DfG Guatemala and Social Enterprise leaders conducted virtual sessions of our Ambassador of Women’s Health (AWH) workshops over Zoom, Google Meet, and Facebook Live.
• DfG Guatemala leaders met with various local community leaders to promote menstrual health advocacy.
• Our Guatemala office recorded a documentary on menstruation in Guatemala (which we look forward to sharing with you soon).
• For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we hosted an event to encourage Guatemalan young people to become involved with social projects.
• With our partner Worldwide Education & Research Institute (WERI), our leaders participated in the inauguration of the National Menstrual Network. This included a retreat involving 50 girls which focused on female empowerment and menstruation management.
• Partnering with two other organizations, DfG Guatemala began Escuela de Mujeres Lideres (School of Women Leaders), a training program consisting of five modules over three months. Using lessons learned during the pandemic, the program is conducted virtually in order to include participants in different regions. The curriculum includes: (1) Women’s Rights; (2) Leadership; (3) Menstrual and Mental Health; (4) Community Communication; and (5) Projects in Action.
• Under the leadership of our Guatemala country office, DfG Dominican Republic, DfG Ecuador, and AMACHAJUL Maya Girl Social Enterprises achieved Gold Status, putting them in the top tier of DfG Social Enterprises.

We are so proud of all that DfG Guatemala has accomplished, notwithstanding the limits imposed by the pandemic! This would not have been possible without your support. Nilvia Gonzalez, DfG Guatemala Country Director expressed, “Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to be part of this incredible movement around the world to empower girls.”