Moms to the Rescue!
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reiterate a fundamental truth of grassroots activism: that you simply CAN’T better a community without PRIORITIZING and EMPOWERING women and mothers.
IEP knows this better than anyone. Mothers of all ages are the foot-soldiers in our mission to INSPIRE HOPE in developing communities throughout the Highlands of Guatemala. They are the role models of our students at IEP’s El Molino School, breadwinners for their households, patients who need oncological, reproductive, and mental healthcare, and community members deeply invested in the health of their towns. Plus, they connect us to other homes and communities we hope to assist in the future.
Our founder and CEO, Michelle Hollaender, is a dedicated mother herself to two sons. She founded IEP in part because of her own struggle to provide for her children while becoming a US citizen. “I decided it was time to give back to the ones in need,” Michelle says. "To teach women that with education, they can be empowered and be able to do what they want.”
A local mother in the ETTC sewing course shows off the beaded collar of a traditional hand-made shirt.
A perfect example of that very principle in action is IEP’s sewing course for local women, which was implemented in 2021 through the Esperanza Trade Training Center. Five forty-hour courses can teach a mother to be proficient with a sewing machine, a skill she can use to make money for her family without having to spend years on education or even learning to read. So far, this program has been a HUGE success. Several classes of women have graduated, and thanks to the local government and our partners at INTECAP, more soon will.
But lack of money and resources isn’t the only problem facing the mothers in our community. What to do with them presents an altogether different challenge. That’s where our other runaway success of 2021 comes in.
UFM nutritionists teach local mothers about nutrition using plastic models.
Every Tuesday, a licensed dietitian named Nicole, along with university students from Guatemala City, put on an interactive workshop on nutrition for local mothers. They cover everything from how to get the proper nutrients out of available food to calculating appropriate portions for your family. They also talk about exercise and lead demonstrations (like a recent zumba class), and give tips on infant care!
These programs and more connect us at IEP to the roots of our highland community and strengthen our mission with every passing day. Thank you to the mothers for everything you do! ¡Feliz Día de Las Madres!