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Date: 16 September, 2005

Thanks to a loan from ADEMI, Marta Catu Chali's fruit and veg stall now turns a profit. She is hoping to earn enough money to buy a plot of land so she can grow her own crops. photo: Christian Aid / Judith Escribano
'People use the term Indian as an insult. Women in traditional dress are turned away from public places'.

'Discrimination is part of the structure of the state in Guatemala. The political process is mono-cultural and mono-lingual and indigenous people lose out.'

These were the words of indigenous activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú after the country’s first racism trial.

In April 2005, five Guatemalan politicians were found guilty of racial discrimination against Menchú. A well known campaigner for the rights of indigenous people, her commitment was recognised with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.

There are high levels of discrimination against indigenous people in Guatemala and no sector of the population suffers more than rural indigenous women: discriminated against both for their gender and their race.

Christian Aid partner, the Ixpiyakok Women’s Association (ADEMI), was set up by indigenous women to tackle discrimination against them. They found that indigenous women lacked medical and health assistance; had high levels of illiteracy; lacked credit for small businesses; and barely took part in community organisation. ADEMI set out to address these issues through education and assistance.

Since Guatemala has the highest levels of infant and maternal mortality in Central America, ADEMI offers training in basic health care, nutrition and midwifery.

Margarita Machia Chuta, a 24 year old mother of four, says: 'Before, we would sell our eggs to buy a Pepsi; but our children became ill and now we know we should use that money to buy vegetables to improve our diet.'

With only 10% of Guatemalan girls going to school – in stark contrast to 90% of boys – ADEMI decided to offer scholarships to girls so they could attend school.

Santos Tubac Cun, who missed out on two years of school because her parents could not even afford the stationery, says 'I wouldn’t be able to study if we didn’t receive this loan.'

Few banks offer loans to indigenous people in the country, so ADEMI offers credit at a low interest rate so women can set up small businesses.

Marta Catu Chali, who runs a fruit and veg stall says: 'It has changed my life to receive a loan. Before I couldn’t balance my books, now I can earn a profit… I hope to earn enough money to buy a piece of land so I can grow some crops.'

Rigoberta Menchú says: 'People use the term Indian as an insult. Women in traditional dress are turned away from public places'.

By empowering indigenous women; increasing their self-respect; and showing other Guatemalans that they deserve respect, ADEMI hopes that the country’s first racism trial may also be the last one.