"Today, I know what I'm worth"

For many years, Clemencia López Cabrera believed that as a woman, she counted less and had to keep quiet. That's why today she advocates for fair opportunities and helps women realize they are worthy of being heard.

My name is Clemencia López Cabrera. I am 29 years old and I live in El Rincón, a village in the municipality of San Martín Sacatepéquez, about three hours from Guatemala City. I have two girls and two boys. My husband is a mason.

I am the oldest of seven children, including five girls. My parents, especially my father, often beat us. I was only allowed to go to school until the sixth grade. They said, "Why spend money on you girls when you're going to get married anyway?" I had to get up early and do the housework before I could go to school. I didn’t get any schoolbooks. It was hard to see the other children with their school supplies when I went with only a pencil.

We were told that women were worth less and had no say. A woman’s place was in the home, doing the housework and having children – not in public. People still tell women not to get involved. You start to believe these bad things – that you are not good enough. I felt ugly and incompetent. I was afraid to talk to people, especially men. Since I was little, it was said that it's the men who talk, the men who decide. For many years I believed that. Women also have thoughts, but I thought it wasn't good to express them, because people would then talk badly about you.

Today, I know what I am worth. I am no longer silent and I say what I think. I have realized that my opinion is important and my ideas are good. In the courses of K'emenik we learn that we women should value ourselves and believe that we can create something. This has given me a lot; it fills my spirit with joy and gives me confidence. Today I know what I can achieve and that I am good. Today I can contribute my voice as a member of the development council of my village.

I deliberately got married early. I wanted to leave home because my father was an alcoholic and violent. I chose my partner myself and started my family with the right man. He lets me have the freedom to attend classes and to be involved in the community. I am grateful to God that my husband always supports me. "If it is your desire, then it is a good decision,” he says. “I want you to achieve your goals." He also finds it helpful that I now earn my own money with weaving, which enabled me to open my own savings account and be independent.

But my husband's family still says to him today, "Why are you letting this happen? She has nothing to say to you. She should take care of her children." But he doesn't listen to them – we agree on what’s important.

There are still many women who don't know that they have the same rights as men. The men don't let them attend our meetings. This is machismo. It is discriminatory and humiliating. We women have to fight. We can earn our own money and invest in the future of our children. And we have to break the silence. This is what our women's group "Nuevo Amanecer" ("New Beginning") is committed to, thanks to the K'emenik project. My message is: We need to value ourselves, and we need respect in partnership – then we can defeat machismo.

We could not go to school or study long enough, but our daughters will have these opportunities. And I have used the opportunities I’ve had to educate myself. Today I know that I can achieve what I dreamed of. I am proud to be the president of Nuevo Amanecer and to be a member of the development council of my village. Because this way we women can have a say in what happens in El Rincón. Our suggestions are heard. Our voice is worth something!

But I want to take it even further, to participate in committees and to work together with many people. I don't want to waste time.

Today I consider myself lucky to be a woman.

Clemencia’s story was recorded by Ada Rubí Pinzón Gonzáles, the project manager of K'emenik in Guatemala.

Strong communities need strong women

The machismo that poisons Guatemalan society particularly affects the indigenous community. Eighty-two percent of indigenous women in Guatemala must ask their husbands for permission to leave the house, and 67 percent are not allowed to utilize their own money. 

Indigenous women in Guatemala are discriminated against in all areas of life. Because they are women, because they are indigenous, because they are not an economic force. They have less access to education, income, health and other public services than men. They are reduced to their traditional role in the household, their workload is immense, and domestic violence is widespread. When they go to the authorities, their concerns are often dismissed, and they have no land rights. Indigenous women are also largely excluded from political life, although according to the constitution they have the same rights as men. They make up only 1.5 percent of the members of local councils. Because women cannot participate in decision-making and planning processes, their needs are systematically neglected.

Helvetas supports women in Guatemala so that they know their rights and can make their voices heard. The K'emenik project works directly with the women: Women's groups are founded, and courses are offered so that they can develop a sense of self-worth, self-confidence, negotiation and leadership skills, and better represent their interests. The project also works to ensure that public authorities and offices are more committed to women's concerns. The women learn by example how a proposal must be planned, budgeted and submitted in order to have a chance of success. At the same time, the political bodies are made responsible for monitoring implementation. In this way, women experience that they can exert influence.