La Bendición (The Blessing)

In 2011, over 100 displaced families self-organized to purchase a piece of land. Today, approximately 75 families reside in “La Bendición”, Guatemala and the community continues to stand out for its strong leadership and capacity for self-management. After multiple years of fighting, La Bendición hit a huge milestone in June, 2022, when they finally celebrated having resolved the payment of the agrarian debt of the territory they occupy and own since 2001, a process of community struggle and perseverance. 

The community has also achieved spaces, with the support of Utz Che and TWP, to empower the Women’s group and make strides in women inclusion. “A real achievement we’ve had is that women are finally involved in the community Council, before we couldn’t even give an opinion. We’ve been able to participate in agriculture training, and it has allowed us to demonstrate that women can do a lot more than just cook and take care of the kids. We feel good about contributing to our family's economy.” - Maria Grabriela Fuentes, President, Women’s Council Community of La Bendicion.

Maria Grabriela Fuentes, President, Women’s Council Community of La Bendicion.