An Internship that Changed Everything: "María's Path to Community Leadership"

María García Hernández, GPA's Program Coordinator - Women Caring for Women program.

María, what’s your role at GPA?

I do a little bit of everything at GPA, but my main program is Women Caring for Women and our Men’s Program, which works with adults and young people.

We include young people because in Indigenous communities, people get married young and often leave school. It’s important to work with them on maternal health, gender issues, violence, and rights, because someday they'll be community leaders who can promote change.

"How do you approach health topics in a culturally sensitive way?"

We work on health topics, but we start from the central values of the communities. For example, we talk about violence, but we don't use that word directly because it's a Western concept that’s misunderstood. Over the years, we've learned how to address topics that are taboo in the communities, like sexuality or menstruation.

We address the topic of violence through the concept of chopol kuxlejal, which in the (Mayan) Tseltal language means what makes us have a bad life. We guide the community toward seeking kuxlejal, a better life. We work on rights, but we approach rights through values and concepts that are specific to the communities, so participants can connect with them and find meaning.

Have you seen any positive changes as the result of the program?

I’m happy to say that we’ve had very positive results.

Recently at a workshop, one woman said, "Before I didn't know I had the right to participate, but now I know I can attend workshops, be present in meetings, participate because we have rights as women." You can see changes in their self-esteem too. In the first session, they're afraid to speak, but once they gain confidence, they open up.

We had a meeting with the municipal government, and the women spoke up confidently about their needs. With the young people, too—sometimes I run into them outside the meetings and they tell me, "Thanks to the workshops, I think differently now."

You don't see it right away, but little by little, really positive changes are taking place.

What's the connection between recognition of rights, self-confidence, and health?

We teach about the different warning signs for health problems, so women recognize when they or family members need medical care. We talk a lot about collective care as women.

When we talk about pregnancy, women say, "Now I know I have the right to make decisions about whether to seek medical care, who will provide care during my pregnancy, whether or not I want to have children.”

By knowing their rights, women can demand them. We talk about the right to health—that at health centers or hospitals, they must be treated well, with respect. Now they know what obstetric violence is. The government has to guarantee access to health services. Little by little, they become empowered.

How did you come to work with GPA?

I first entered as an intern. I received workshops from GPA when I was studying in high school in Iwiltic. GPA was the first organization that came to our school talking about partner-related violence, and health.

I graduated and left for a year. Then GPA contacted me and proposed that I become an intern. I was an intern for about four years, supporting work with the midwives and youth. Little by little I was being trained. I'm very grateful to my colleagues who supported me in that process.

Then I became a staff member, and later coordinator of a program. For me, progressing from scholarship recipient to program coordinator is a great achievement.

What’s an accomplishment you feel proud of?

I feel empowered by seeing women learning and growing—when they say, "I'm not going to let myself be pushed around. If they don't serve me well, I have to speak up, demand my rights."

In all the groups—youth, women, midwives—when they thank me for sharing information they hadn’t had access to previously, that satisfaction means everything to me.

Recently at a workshop, one participant told me, "I'm proud that being from the same community, you prepared yourself and now come to share this information we often don't have access to with us. You're helping and supporting your community so we can know these rights and demand them." They really value the work.

It also gives me joy that we're working in San Juan Cancuc (Chiapas), because I’m from this community. I've always had this idea of preparing myself to support my own community, and now I am doing it.

Thank you, we’re really grateful to have you on the team.