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Raquel is the leader of the grassroots organization Madre Tierra, or Mother Earth. She has been a member of this group for 24 years, where she interacts with civil society and local and national authorities, and participates in political dialogue to advocate for women’s empowerment.

When Raquel joined Madre Tierra, she had little confidence and was nervous to speak in public. In the past, she was a victim of violence and sexual abuse.

Raquel overcame her fears and realized that she could lead change. Raquel stated: “With the violence, discrimination and problems that women face, we have to be clear and understand that it is not something that we have been born with. It is a problem that society itself has been in charge of.”

Raquel is lucky that her mother worked for Madre Tierra in the past. Her mother encouraged and empowered her to join the organization and represent her community. Further discovering her capabilities and potentials was what motivated Raquel to move forward. Raquel said:

“I started very small in the organization. But we can contribute a lot as young women to the processes of change and development of our communities.”

Now, Raquel is the leader of Madre Tierra. Madre Tierra started in 1993, during the civil war in Guatemala. The organization helped refugee women return home from Mexico. Madre Tierra means a lot to Raquel: “It is a safe space that has allowed me to learn, but also to grow as an independent woman.”

Through CARE’s Partners for Resilience program, members of organizations like Madre Tierra are supported to learn about the consequences of climate change and how to adapt to its increas- ing impacts. Raquel says:

“The earth is changing. The strongest impact that we have experienced due to climate change is the lack of water.”

Raquel is determined to take action to address climate change. Madre Tierra has developed training and analysis processes at the community level, identifying key capabilities and vulnerabilities. Additionally, Madre Tierra works together with CONRED, the national disaster response agency in Guatemala. CONRED has trained members of Madre Tierra on how to educate women in disaster risk management.

For Raquel, things are clear. If there are no women involved, then there will be no successful solutions. Raquel adds: “There is a relationship between the Earth and women. They both feed the world, they both give life.”

The inclusion of women is important to the urgent adaptation to climate change which is needed to make the planet habitable for generations to come. Including all genders also leads to more successful imple- mentation: when women are engaged, the entire community is heard. With pride, Raquel adds: “For me, the most motivating thing is the change that is seen in people. There will be no changes if people do not become aware of their impact on the planet.”

Raquel is realistic but confident about the future. It gives her courage to see that she is surrounded by so many people.

In the face of disaster, Guatemala is empowered to be resilient and not break due to generous support from donors like you.  Thank you for equipping women like Raquel with the resources to contribute to her community.  

SOURCE: https://careclimatechange.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Bend-Not-Break-.pdf