San Juan Cotzal, Quiché, GuatemalaAna Cristina Toma Cruz is a 29-year-old indigenous woman from a small community of San Juan Cotzal. An elementary school teacher, university student, volunteer and member of Red de Voces Juveniles por la Paz (Red de Voceros y Voceras Juveniles para la Paz), Cruz is active in her community, driven by her desire to set an example for other young women in Guatemala who have big dreams for themselves.
“I want to be an exemplary person — in the sense that when people see me, they think ‘I can do it, because she did it,’” says Cruz. “I want to be a person who can contribute something, a person who can inspire someone.”
Cruz is already setting an example. Each morning, she goes to work, teaching at a local public elementary school. In the afternoon, she heads to a local economic empowerment organization where she volunteers to educate women in entrepreneurial topics so they can create business opportunities.
“I’ve always been interested in women’s rights and social change,” Cruz shares. “My volunteering was born out of asking myself if I can make a difference for other women.”
The answer Cruz found was yes, she could.
Addressing obstacles to gender equality
According to Cruz, La falta de independencia económica es uno de los mayores obstáculos para lograr la inclusión y la igualdad de género en el Altiplano Occidental de Guatemala.. Las mujeres necesitan una educación o un oficio para avanzar, which can be near impossible for women in rural settings who financially depend on male family members—the traditional breadwinners in Guatemala—who typically do not prioritize women’s education.
La dependencia financiera está vinculada a la violencia económica, un tipo de violencia de género que ocurre cuando un individuo niega a su pareja íntima el acceso a recursos financieros, típicamente como una forma de abuso o control. Este es un Escenario común para las mujeres indígenas del Altiplano Occidental..
Cruz ha visto el poder del empoderamiento económico en su propia vida. Trabajar como maestra de escuela primaria le permite contribuir a la economía de su familia y pagar la universidad., where she studies social work on the weekends.
Voces jóvenes por la paz
Además de enseñar, estudiando y siendo voluntario, Cruz also participates in Voceros Juveniles, una red de 226 Hombres y mujeres jóvenes de las Tierras Altas Occidentales que están desarrollando su capacidad de liderazgo., developing confidence and connecting on issues that matter to them through trainings and youth-led initiatives.
Voceros Juveniles reúne a jóvenes de diversos orígenes y culturas para interactuar, colaborar y aprender. Es implementado por el A NOSOTROS. Agencia para el Desarrollo Internacional y Asociados creativos internacionales a través del Proyecto de consolidación de la paz y el Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios para la Democracia Social (POBLACIÓN).
“Through Voceros Juveniles, Me he involucrado en diversos espacios y he podido ver la realidad desde una perspectiva diferente.,“Cruz dice. “En la red, Hablamos de muchos temas diferentes, incluidos problemas sociales, y esto me ha ayudado a comprender la realidad de otras comunidades y los diferentes contextos de mis compañeros.. Esto ha sido un aprendizaje profundo para mí”.
El Proyecto de Construcción de Paz trabaja para reducir el conflicto social y construir cohesión social en el Altiplano Occidental de Guatemala, priorizando la inclusión de las mujeres, pueblo indigena, and youth in all programming and training them in conflict prevention and mitigation.
Voceros Juveniles brinda a los jóvenes las habilidades para identificar y reducir conflictos, así como la confianza y el liderazgo para llevar estas habilidades a los espacios donde se toman decisiones..
Participando en Voceros Juveniles, Cruz has learned about topics such as conflict transformation, theater and communication, Los riesgos de la migración irregular., civic participation and cyber-activism.
Learning how to effectively utilize technology for research and getting her message out more broadly has been a game-changer for Cruz.
“I’m not the youngest person in Voceros Juveniles,"dice Cruz, “and I don’t have the same technology skills as some of the younger members who had easier access to digital platforms.”
With training through Voceros Juveniles, Cruz is now able to find and access reliable information for academic projects. ¿Qué es más?, she has shifted her use of technology from a source of entertainment to one that inspires social change, sharing key messages about the importance of civic participation with her friends and peers in Ixil, uno de 22 Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala.
Live your life for yourself
Cruz recognizes that achieving cultural and social change is a gradual process, requiring intentionality and consistency, which explains her ongoing dedication to teaching and empowering those around her.
When asked what she would say to inspire the young women in her community, Cruz exhales and pauses to gather her thoughts, mentioning there would be a lot to say.
“What I would say is that you should fight for what you want,“Cruz dice. “Don’t push your dreams aside. Fight to be independent, professional women, with your own income and live your life for yourself.”
