Women united can never be defeated
Presbyterian Hunger Program joins the Guatemala Partnership of New Castle Presbytery to witness development work
Recently, Valéry Nodem, Associate for International Concerns with the Presbyterian Hunger Program, traveled with Carrie Saathoff, co-chair of the Guatemala Partnership of New Castle Presbytery to the western highlands of Guatemala to witness the work of the Association of Mam Christian Women for Development in person.
New Castle Presbytery has worked in formal partnership with the association for more than a decade. Presbyterian Hunger Program has recently begun supporting the association as well.
“I was excited to see the projects that I have heard so much about in the last two years,” Nodem said. Helping to make their time in Guatemala successful was Andrea Ramirez, an interpreter, and Kevin de León, the driver.
On the first day, the group spent the morning with the board and staff of the association at its office discussing the mission of the organization, the various projects it’s implemented and the communities it serves. “The passion and commitment of the team was very contagious,” Nodem said.
Over a week, the visitors spoke with four groups in three different communities and had a chance to meet with the women, see their projects and hear their stories.
For the second consecutive year, Presbyterian Hunger Program is partnering with the association, created about 20 years ago with the mission to empower Mam women and support their efforts to build a future in which they have financial, material, spiritual and personal independence. Like in many parts of the world, rural women in Guatemala experience high levels of poverty, limited access to education and health care, high incidence of domestic violence and low employment rates.
The situation is a lot worse for indigenous women due to discrimination. It is this context that encouraged Rosario Diaz, the association’s founder and coordinator, to form an organization to bring about change in local communities. To date, the association has served more than 7,000 women.
In 2025, Presbyterian Hunger Program provided funds to launch two new revolving funds groups within the association so that women can invest in income-generating activities and improve their living conditions. For 2026, PHP is supporting the construction and delivery of 50 fuel-efficient stoves. These stoves offer women a better cooking space, improve the health of families by directing smoke outside of the home, and also reduce the amount of firewood needed to prepare meals.
The association board and staff planned well-organized visits to women’s homes and communities, initiating meetings with the women of the two new revolving funds groups. The visitors saw their projects of cows, other livestock, potato crops, and even a pharmacy. The group also witnessed and participated in the delivery of the first 18 stoves for 2026.
In addition to the two projects recently funded by PHP, the group saw the many additional projects that have been supported by New Castle Presbytery, other U.S. churches, and a strong base of individual donors. These projects include chickens, family gardens, reforestation, latrines, and sewing schools.
On the final day, the group participated in an informative visit to the AJPU workshop where stoves are constructed, then headed to a private mountain managed by the local community. Group members hiked to miradors with incredible views, entered sacred caves and shared fellowship while enjoying a picnic lunch. The Mayan spirituality of this special place really hit home on a personal note. Nodem said it took him back to his childhood growing up in Cameroon, feeling the close connection between nature and the divine. “It was a beautiful way to end my time here in Guatemala,” he said.
“Reflecting on this past week, I feel the work of association teaches us many lessons,” Nodem said, including:
- An organization doesn’t need to be big to have an impact. A few women with a vision and determination can move mountains. The association is doing just that!
- Empowering women and elevating their skills and talents is an investment in the families and communities they serve.
- When they come together to vision and problem-solve, women are unstoppable!
While traveling with the association women in the van this week, Nodem said he heard them reciting the verse of a well-known song, swapping out the word “people” for “women”: “Mujeres Unidas Jamás Seran Vencidas” (“Women United Can Never Be Defeated”)
“Exactly!” Nodem said, promising to keep in touch with association members. “I look forward to witnessing their progress in the years to come,” Nodem said.
Valéry Nodem is Associate for International Concerns in the Presbyterian Hunger Program.
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