Florinda – A Community Advocate in Guatemala
Until I was invited to participate in Community Advocates Program, I didn’t communicate with anyone, much less have any leadership, considering we women barely have the chance to participate in meetings or any public spaces. It was difficult for me to speak up or express my opinion, as I was afraid others would tell me that I was wrong, but little by little I began to change. And now I’m no longer afraid to express myself. I’ve learned how I can share information with my community so that more women can become leaders and make decisions in the community. This program has helped me make important decisions in my life, for my family and for my community.
I helped develop a Community Action Plan alongside community leaders on preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. [As part of the Plan], we held a General Assembly with the whole community to present the Action Plan. I presented the Plan with the help of the other Community Advocate. We discussed forms of violence against women, talked about the activities we are going to carry out and who could support and attend cases of violence. Normally only men participate in the community meetings, but this time, as Advocates, we invited the women as well. Some declined to attend as they feared straying from the norm, but we convinced others and they did come. I estimate that there were more than 25 women and more than 300 men. Upon seeing so many people at the activity I felt nervous, but then I thought, ‘I can do this.’ Everything went very well and although we feared that the men would react poorly to our discussion of violence against women, they accepted the information and I am so proud.
Before becoming a Community Advocate, I did not know much about violence against women and perhaps I thought the women were to blame. I was a closed off woman and no one looked to me for help because I wasn’t known in my community and I just occupied myself with household chores and work in the fields. Now that I’m known as a Community Advocate, women from my community approach me and ask for advice. I listen to them and give my opinion, understanding that every woman needs to make her own decision. Normally, the women who approach me have suffered some form of violence and I explain to them what they can do and some have asked that I accompany them, so I call Women’s Justice Initiative to make an appointment and go with them to the appointment. Since joining the Community Advocates Program, some women have come looking for me because they want to hear about my new role in the community. Others have asked to talk with me about some of the topics that I have learned and they too want to learn more. This is a great responsibility that motivates me because they see me as a maternal figure within the community.”
Florinda Miculax is a Community Advocate from the community of Las Camelias, Guatemala. Through the Community Advocate Program, Women’s Justice Initiative (WJI) empowers and educates women serve as leaders and mentors for women in her community. WJI has been a Pangea Giving partner since 2013. Learn more about their work by visiting their website.