About the Quatemala Wisdom Exchange Training Program

Background and Description

PWE’s Guatemala Project evolved from a relationship Maureen developed with a Maya Guatemalan organization, Asociación Pop No’j.  Maureen met one of that organization’s leaders (Virginia Ajxup) in early 2009 during a conference in Mexico City where she was presenting on Native Americans’ response to the gender based violence prevalent their communities.  At Pop No’j’s invitation,  Maureen spent two weeks in Guatemala in November of the same year, during which she gave presentations on the subject of culturally specific programs available for Native American women involved in domestic violence.

In addition to her presentations, Maureen participated in ten different “exchanges” with groups of Mayan women who spoke about the violence (domestic, sexual) to which they had been subject.  Both Maureen and the Mayan women could see many similarities in their respective cultures, the condition resulting from colonization and oppression, and the violence against women that is so pervasive.  

The subject is still silenced, wrought with shame, and taboo within Mayan communities.  So it was, for all participants, an incredible experience to bear witness to this collective opening of discussion on such a painful and intimate topic where many women gave voice to their experiences for the very first time.

The Mayan women hope to learn more about the Native American (USA) women’s response to this violence.  Therefore, on behalf of Asociación Pop No’j, Virginia Ajxup has requested that Partners for Women’s Equality develop a training to create a corps of “community victim advocates.”   These advocates will assist both the women experiencing violence in their homes and communities AND the communities themselves to better organize and coordinate the response to this violence that is so destructive to local culture and families.  

View our preliminary curriculum.

To find out more, or inquire about becoming involved in the program, contact the program coodinator.