Indigenous communities around Lake Atitlán face mounting environmental challenges that threaten the fundamental right to a healthy environment. Climate change, deforestation, and the infiltration of harmful agricultural practices are eroding traditional ways of life and the ecosystem.
In response, Natün's Community Alliances team, partnering with the @honnoldfoundation, launched environmental workshops across five communities. These sessions, rooted in Maya wisdom, engage diverse community members in reclaiming their environmental rights.🌳
Juliana, a mother and workshop graduate, shares, 🗣️ “These workshops are a rare opportunity for me to learn about my passion: the environment. I think about the future of my children and grandchildren, and how I can help protect it."
Through interactive activities, participants blend traditional Maya land management with modern conservation strategies. They learn to combat deforestation, promote organic farming, and reduce waste - while advocating for policies that respect Indigenous environmental rights.
This initiative exemplifies how Natün's rights-based approach facilitates communities to protect Indigenous lands, traditions, and future in the face of complex environmental challenges.
#EnvironmentalJustice
#IndigenousRights
#ClimateAction
#SustainableCommunities
#ProtectOurPlanet
Join us in amplifying voices and empowering changemakers like Mildred. 📢Donate to the 'Change From Within' campaign today and be a catalyst for sustainable, community-led development. Together, let's build local capacity and create brighter futures where every child can learn, grow, and thrive.🔗 https://fundraising.natunguatemala.org/campaign/594042/donate
Our team recently organized a cultural appreciation day, where staff proudly wore traditional clothing from their communities. These beautiful textiles carry deep cultural meaning, such as the stories and traditions from generations passed. By embracing these traditions, we reaffirm our commitment to preserving Maya culture and fostering a workspace that honors heritage. ❤️
Natün is creating supportive, culturally relevant spaces for Maya women to thrive together. In communities where opportunities for women to develop financial skills are scarce, our Savings Groups facilitate growth and empowerment. 💰
Across 9 groups, 130 women gather weekly to learn and practice financial management, lifting each other up in the process. These spaces are deeply rooted in Maya culture, with training conducted in Kaqchikel and an emphasis on mutual support.
By fostering safe and supportive spaces, Natün is not only promoting women's financial independence but also cultivating a sense of solidarity and resilience among Maya women. Together, they are building a foundation for sustainable development that resonates with their cultural identity and strengthens the fabric of their communities.
Our rainwater harvesting systems, crafted in partnership with The Ohio State University 's engineering students, bring clean water to our Community Centers. 🌧️
It's a testament to how our environmental commitment is seamlessly woven into our holistic approach to community development.💧🌱
The Natün team participated in an engaging workshop led by our Community Alliances team, who shared practical ways to nurture our planet in our daily lives and office culture. From reducing waste to conserving energy, we're committed to integrating environmentally conscious practices into all aspects of our work.We love opportunities to come together as a staff to learn, bond, and grow!A big thank you to Juan, our Community Alliances Manager, and Benjamin for their inspiring leadership and teaching us that "caring for the environment starts with small steps."
At Natün, the shared thread of environment is strategically woven into our Preschool Nutrition Centers and is highlighted by the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems. In partnership with engineering students from the @theohiostateuniversity , we have installed these systems to address water instability, which can lead to school closures and other challenges. 💧By collecting and storing rainwater, we provide students and community members with access to clean water for drinking, cooking, gardening, and maintaining proper hygiene. Last year alone, these systems supplied water to 68 preschool students and supported agriculture workshops and a thriving community garden, showcasing how the environmental thread is integral to our holistic approach to community development.
The Natün community garden acts as a meeting point where moms like Cristina participate in local workshops that strengthen their knowledge and understanding of nutrition, maternal care, and hygiene.Cristina is a Community Health Promoter and president of Azucena, a local Women’s Group facilitated by Natün and an active participant in child malnutrition and women’s health programs. This year, Cristina says she will cultivate garden vegetables, medicinal plants, and a healthier, more secure future. 🌱
According to USAID, 77% of Guatemalans who intend to migrate do so in search of economic opportunities.Indigenous communities, which are around 60% of the population (Minority Rights Group International, 2013), are severely and systemically under resourced. And the trend is threatening: the poverty rate in Guatemala increased from 55% in 2000 to 60% in 2014, in contrast with the significant overall decline in poverty in both Latin America as a whole and most of Central America (World Bank, 2015). The reality is even starker for those reached by Natün. Natün’s 2019 socioeconomic study, a study of families that participate in Natün’s programs, effectively a study among those most in need, found that families have an average income of $1.20 per person per day (Natün, 2019). Moreover, 60% of the families have average daily costs higher than their average daily income and 62% of families said their biggest daily concern was providing food for their family. These all form push factors to migration, and particularly irregular migration.
Did you know we run Preschool Nutrition Centers?The PNCs serve Indigenous children ages 3-6 in the department of Sololá. We use an annual socioeconomic study and home visits with new preschool family applicants to prioritize the enrollment of applicants with the greatest need. The PNCs focus on kickstarting social, linguistic and emotional development through high-quality and culturally-responsive education while providing a foundation of nutrition to serve as a launch pad for years of scholastic achievement. Our preschools provide:➡️Bilingual education ➡️Nutritional support ➡️Parental education➡️Medical servicesLearn more:https://natunguatemala.org/natun-programs/-#PreschoolNutrition#IndigenousChildren#EarlyChildhoodEducation#CulturalEducation#NutritionForAll
The impact of the following factors is evidenced in Guatemalans receiving an average of only 5.5 years of education:➡️ Guatemala’s most rural communities, children often accompany their parents to work in agriculture with no opportunity to attend school. ➡️ Furthermore, between feeding one´s family and paying public school fees for their child, families must choose the first. ➡️ In Guatemala, even public schools have a cost; families are charged fees to cover the school electricity, security, cleaning and other expenses, and students must purchase a school uniform and bring their own school supplies. ➡️ Natün’s study found that 24% of families have been unable to pay school fees for 1 of the last 3 months, and another 16% for 2 of the last 3 months. ➡️ It is customary for children to help families in the field, at home or through participating in other income-earning opportunities, which is all income lost in part or in full when a child attends school (International Labour Organisation, UNICEF, World Bank, 2002).(INE, 2019)CENSO Población y Vivienda: Resultados del Censo 2018https://www.censopoblacion.gt/
