Association of Mam Christian Women for Development in

San Juan Ostuncalco, Guatemala

Moving Forward with your Help

By Cindie Moorecindiemoore@yahoo.com

September 15, 2013

WHAT IS ASSOCIATION OF MAM CHRISTIAN WOMEN FOR DEVELOPMENT?

Helps Guatemalan women improve their lives Located in mountainous Western Highlands Association:

conceived by Guatemalan women operated for Guatemalan women

Over 350 members Serves women of Mam indigenous group Known as “women’s association” for short Supported by New Castle Presbytery

THREE MAJOR ONGOING ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Micro-loan program: provide women a hand up, not a hand out

Health outreach: improve access to health care

Sponsorship of schools and scholarships: offer educational opportunities

SHORT-TERM ACTIVITY OF WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Formation of Relief Committee in aftermath of November 12, 2012 earthquake No deaths, but some injuries Major problem: destruction of homes

NEW ACTIVITIES

Contentment with the status quo? Never!

Women’s association plans to provide, in addition to micro-loan program, other income-producing opportunities.

More info later

ROSARIO DIAZ COORDINATES WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Rosario, on right, is pictured with a

recent graduate of the Saturday School.

More about the school appears

below. Rosario also directs the Maya Clinical Center.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF GROUPS PARTICIPATING IN MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM AS OF

MARCH 2013

-Orange markers on map show 25 groups in 24 communities.-Groups are mostly clustered around city of San Juan Ostuncalco where Rosario Diaz lives and works.-Note: as of August 2013, 26 groups belong to women’s association.

MAJOR ONGOING ACTIVITY: #1 MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM

26 groups of women have formed groups to operate small businesses.

Many businesses involve: Livestock or Food Crops (corn, vegetables) Weaving Production of Chocolate or Tortillas

Each group receives one-year, no-interest loan.

During Mid-Year Assembly, groups report on their businesses.

MID-YEAR ASSEMBLY: REPORTS ON PROJECTS

Maria Gregoria reports on her group’s business.

Cirila and Berta, Association’s two secretaries, take turns recording the Assembly’s activities.

MID-YEAR ASSEMBLY: DISPLAY OF PRODUCTS

Beautiful weavings and luscious carrots and onions

Delicious chocolate

MICRO-LOAN GROUP WITH WEAVING BUSINESS

Graciela uses a back strap loom to weave beautiful textiles.

This intricate pattern features a green stylized bird near the center.

SUPPORT BY DELAWARE CHURCHES FOR MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM

Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) in Wilmington: Funded a loan for a group called “Ebenezer” Created prayer partnership – pairing each

Ebenezer member with a WPC member Dover Presbyterian Church:

will fund new group in 2014 funding includes grant from the New Castle

Presbytery (Delaware and Eastern Shore of Maryland)

MAJOR ONGOING ACTIVITY: #2 HEALTH OUTREACH

Training more community health workers

Installing water filters in homes of members

Conducting health workshops

TRAINING MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (HCWS)

2013 Initiative: ensuring more trained HCWs

15 women are in two-year program Year 1: theory and practice in classroom Year 2: practice in community under

supervision Curriculum

First Aid Wellness (for example, nutrition, family

planning) WPC supported training

TRAINING MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Jovita Morales teaches the students about the respiratory system.

TRAINING MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

Elias and his mom Imelda help Jovita demonstrate how to measure a baby’s respiration rate.

Students enjoy a break.

INSTALLATION OF IN-HOME WATER FILTERS Benefits for health – lowers incidence of

gastro-intestinal diseases caused by impure water

Reduction in purchase of wood – saves families money

Help for environment – reduces cutting of trees

USE OF WATER FILTERS

Water is poured into the concrete filter (in back). It flows from a tube into the covered container (in front). The user flips up a lever faucet to enjoy a glass of safe water.

CHURCHES SUPPORT WATER FILTERS

Church of Reconciliation, Chapel Hill NC, initiated pilot program in 2011.

In 2012 Dover Church and WPC provided funds to implement program.

WPC has launched fundraising for SWIG, Safe Water in Guatemala, in which 200 filters will be installed to celebrate 2014, known as Year of Water.

HEALTH WORKSHOPS

Dottie Peck Foster, a speaker of Mam and Spanish, and her husband, Stan Foster, a public health doctor, of Presbyterian Church, Nacoochee GA, provide annual workshops.

2013 topics HIV/AIDS Domestic Violence

Topics always chosen by women’s association.

Delegates from 22 of 26 groups attended 2013 meeting.

MAJOR ONGOING ACTIVITY #3: SPONSORSHIP OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Schools Saturday School Sewing School

Scholarships

Josefina is the registrar of the Saturday School.

SEWING SCHOOL

Left: Ofelia is learning embroidery by machine. She hopes her new skills will augment income as a street vendor selling candy.

Right: Floridalma graduatedfrom the school in 2004. She uses earnings from sewing to support her 12-year old daughter, Sindy Andrea.

SUPPORT FOR SEWING SCHOOL

Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Durham NC, has taken the lead.

Members of Church of Reconciliation, Chapel Hill NC and United Methodist Church, Berea OH donate funds for the purchase of sewing machines and other school expenses.

ENGLISH CLASS AT SATURDAY SCHOOL

Left: Angela teaches English in the school.

Right: Students in the school learn English to improve job prospects upon graduation.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN IN ALBANY NY SPONSORING INTERCAMBIO PROGRAM

Intercambio means “exchange” in Spanish A Guatemalan learning English is paired with an

American learning Spanish. They become Intercambio partners and speak to

each other via Skype, a free internet phone service. Partners talk weekly for an hour:

One-half hour in English One-half hour in Spanish

Benefits Language skills enhanced Friendships developed

CHURCHES PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS

Nacoochee Presbyterian Church (GA) WPC – José Valera Memorial Scholarship

and scholarships provided by individual members

Church of Reconciliation (NC), including scholarships provided by individual members

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF Outpouring of support from Delaware

churches (Dover and WPC), Church of Reconciliation (NC), Nacoochee Presbyterian Church (GA), New Castle Presbytery, and individuals

Immediate needs have been met Task now to re-construct homes

destroyed by earthquake Forward progress….

NEW HOME FOR NOLBERTA AND FAMILY

Nolberta, a widow, and her family outside their almost completed house.

NEW HOME FOR FELIZA AND HER SON

Feliza, a disabled woman, and her son outside of her almost completed house.

EVEN MORE EXCITING: ANTONIA’S HOUSE IS FINISHED!

Antonia enters her new house.

ANTONIA’S NEW HOUSE

Antonia and her family pray, giving thanks for their new house.

NEW ACTIVITIES – STATUS QUO IS UNACCEPTABLE!

Producing shampoo Cultivating:

Strawberries Mushrooms

PRODUCING SHAMPOO

Left: Shampoo’s main ingredient is pulp from a leaf that looks like yucca. Imelda is removing the pulp.

Right: Shampoo ingredients are mixed by hand.

PRODUCING SHAMPOO

Left: Petronila bottles shampoo mixture.

Right: Batch produces 25 bottles.

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS FOR THE FUTURE

Left: Ruby red strawberriesare delicious.

Right: Mushrooms are attracting interest.

WHY GET INVOLVED?

We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through tireless efforts and persistent work of [people] willing to be coworkers with God…

-Martin Luther King

BESIDES . . .

Involvement builds friendships!

Cathy Higgins, on right, of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware enjoys her visit at the Sewing School. She is pictured with (L to R) Graciela and Leonora, officers of the women’s association, and Gricelda, the sewing instructor.

LIKE TO GET INVOLVED?

Contact Cindie Moore at cindiemoore@yahoo.com.

Thanks to Erika Robertson for technical assistance in the preparation of this presentation.