Ben Liko
Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
USAID/Guatemala works to increase awareness, knowledge, and recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, culture, history, and knowledge systems. USAID encourages Indigenous People’s participation throughout the design and implementation of programs within Guatemala to ensure that all activities take into account Indigenous Peoples’ development priorities.
Engaging Indigenous People as meaningful partners in development enhances their ability to promote their rights, determine their own priorities, and advance their self reliance. USAID seeks to empower Indigenous Peoples, enabling them to participate in key decision-making spaces at the community, municipal, regional, and national levels.
Indigenous Voices and Program Highlights
Ofelia Sanchez, a 24 year old indigenous Maya-Mam leader from the community of Duraznales in Quetzaltenango, and a member of the Community Development Council, was appointed by her community to present the Community’s Development Plans to representatives of the Government of Guatemala. During the event in February of 2021, she explained to government representatives why it is important to align new government development initiatives with the Indigenous community’s own priorities. The Plans were developed by the community leaders, including Ofelia, with the support of the USAID/Community Leading Development program, which has focused on strengthening local organizations, developing solid community plans, and implementing projects that address the community’s needs. USAID supports young leaders like Ofelia to define, prioritize and promote their communities’ needs by building their leadership skills to participate in and positively influence policy decision-making about improving local conditions and opportunities.
Ofelia is an inspiring young leader with great aspirations. “Let’s dream for a better future; by joining hands together, men, women, youth, indigenous or non-indigenous can work together to create dignified lives,” she shares.
For her significant contributions to Indigenous Peoples priorities, Ofelia was invited to present recommendations to almost 200 participants on how to work towards development during the Webinar Series on the Policy on Promoting Indigenous Peoples Rights (PRO-IP). She explained, “I have learned the importance of participation, the inclusion of the whole community and the organization of our community leaders. I see that it is essential to listen to the voices of my community in the work we do in the Community Development Council, to identify the needs of the people who need more support and to seek opportunities to improve our lives. It is clear that the work process between the community and USAID was not easy. The indigenous communities no longer believe in the promises of organizations because of previous bad experiences. But USAID was different because it did not come promising things; it came wanting to involve us in discovering the most felt needs of the community through the community planning process.”
Learn more about how the Communities Leading Development project is empowering other young Indigenous leaders to help their communities thrive.
Ingrid Guzman is an indigenous Ixil and a renowned youth activist, who serves as the President of the Municipal Youth Network, part of the Municipal Youth Office in Nebaj, which was established with USAID Nexos Locales project assistance. Ingrid creates opportunities for youth in her municipality, such as linking entrepreneurship projects for youth with the urban center, isolated communities of Nebaj, and the National Technical Training Institute.
Ingrid has advocated for increased funding for youth-centered projects and successfully promoted the development and approval of a Municipal Youth Policy in 2020. “It was a milestone for all young people across Nebaj and in the Ixil region,” she comments. Additionally, as part of her advocacy activities, she is an active member of the Indigenous Peoples Observatory in Guatemala and the technical roundtable for reproductive health. In February 2021, Ingrid and fellow members of the roundtable presented the Observatory’s strategies to address early childbearing and sexually transmitted diseases in indigenous youth populations to Guatemala’s Vice President Guillermo Castillo, and authorities from the Ministry of Health.
Ingrid says she has grown personally by working with the Municipal Youth Network. She remarked, “The platform and exposure I gained working with the youth network has empowered me to advocate for causes that I am passionate about.” Ingrid endeavors to be youth leader who impacts the lives of others.
Learn more about how the Nexos Locales project supports other Indigenous Youth work towards governance.