About Us
REALgirl Foundation is committed to to advancing gender equity and the empowerment of girls and women, by supporting the holistic healing and empowerment of individuals, families, and communities
We support the empowerment of Guatemalan girls, their peers, and their families to reach their highest potential and become innovative leaders dedicated to the creation of safe, equitable, and just communities.
Our Approach to Empowerment
-
Advancing the empowerment of girls and women, and advancing gender equity are our primary areas of focus. Throughout all our programs, in all that we do, we are steadfast in our focused commitment to improving the lives of girls and women, and ensuring the human rights, dignity, and empowerment of all.
-
We must acknowledge that different groups need different levels and forms of support and resources to thrive. Our approaches are equity-driven, meaning we listen to the unique needs of everyone we serve and strive to provide them with the customized and specific support they need to thrive.
-
When we fail to include boys and men in our gender equity work, we are not only limiting the potential for impact but could potentially putting the very girls and women we seek to support, at further risk. Including boys and men in gender equity work increases the impact, efficiency, and ethics of our girls and women-centered mission.
-
In light of the fact that the girls in our program do not live in a bubble, we also work in partnership with families, educators, and community leaders. Our goal is to help whole communities heal from the trauma of patriarchal dominance, violence, and racial injustices and advance gender equity and the empowerment of women and girls. We support their reconnection to their ancestral roots and the creation of communities that are interdependent, interconnected, and equitable.
Get to know us
-
Whether we are aware of it or not, we live in a world that still values, trusts, and empowers males over females. Every day that we perpetuate messages of female inferiority, whether overtly or subtly, those messages impact a girl’s sense of her own value and her ability to thrive.
The empowerment of young people is universally important, however, it is especially important that we focus on creating strong and independent girls because when we invest in a girl, it creates a ripple effect of positive change in her own life and in her community at large. With her self-value intact, she will grow up to be an educated, productive citizen, and a prepared employee. She will be the most influential force in her family and her greater community to break the cycle of poverty.
Our efforts are rooted in the firm belief that we all benefit when girls and women are able to create their own paths, reach their highest potential and work in partnership with boys and men to construct a more balanced society in which positions of leadership are held by both men and women.Therefore, by creating stronger girls, we create stronger families, stronger communities, and a stronger world.
-
We provide transformative workshops and community-driven support programs dedicated to the holistic empowerment of women, girls and youth and the advancement of gender equity.
Through our workshops and programs, girls, women and their families develop the knowledge, skills, and courage they need to make informed life choices and reach their highest potential. We run all of our programs in partnership with local schools and organizations in some of Guatemala’s most marginalized and at-risk communities.
-
We are proud to offer diverse programs to address the varying needs of our participants and partner schools, run by local Certified SERniña Instructors. Learn more about our programs here.
-
Read more about why our efforts are central to Guatemala here.
-
Consider donation or sponsoring a girl! You can learn more about those opportunities here.
