Manuela Alvarado (Guatemala)

The Honorable Manuela Alvarado, Mayan educator, nurse, women’s rights activist and former member of parliament, has been fighting for the human rights of women and indigenous people for a lifetime.

Manuela was born in Choquiac-Cantél, small village with no potable water and a school that only went into the third grade. She was born to humble, hardworking and community-oriented parents, who had a passion for education, she says.

“To study beyond the third grade meant going to Xela [the closest town] or further,” said Manuela. “Few of us could imagine that or had the economic means for the transportation and uniforms.”

Manuela’s father used his connections and goodwill with the Catholic Church to get his daughter a place in the indigenous Catholic boarding school Nuestra Señora del Socorro in Guatemala City.

“At Nuestra Señora del Socorro I wore my traditional dress, my friends were Mayan girls from other towns who spoke other Mayan languages,” Manuela said. “We learned from each other, about our families, our villages…I gained strength, confidence and cultural pride.”

Manuela graduated from school and went on to receive a teaching degree. She taught for a few years in local communities. But every time she went out, local villagers would tell her that their son or daughter was ill, and ask if she could give them a shot or explain a prescription to them.

That’s when Manuela enrolled in nursing school.

“It was in nursing school where I learned that my people’s health was not only suffering because of the parasites, germs and viruses, but also because of power, wealth and economic and social inequalities,” said Manuela. “You can’t solve health problems with just hospitals and a few nurses. You need a vision and a commitment that includes food security, nutrition, clean drinking water, plumbing, education on hygiene and even equality.”

In 1995, Manuela was approached to run for parliament.

“It’s not what I was expecting. I didn’t look for it. I had my doubts and I had to think about it,” she said. “I scrutinized and thought, ‘why are these [Mayan] people, with so much to offer, with so many talents, why are they marginalized and oppressed. Their voices aren’t listened to. If I were there, I could see what I could do from inside the government.’”

Manuela served as one of the three indigenous women in the Guatemalan congress from 1996-2000. During her tenure, she fought hard for indigenous and women’s rights. She initiated meetings between the Mayan people and different government ministries.

Later, Manuela founded PRODEM—a women’s rights organization that focuses on community and women’s health. That’s where she met CEDPA. After working in partnership with CEDPA on several projects in Guatemala, Manuela decided to attend CEDPA’s Institution Building workshop in 2001.

“What is so impressive about CEDPA is that the people who choose to work with them are truly committed—in their work, in their mission,” said Manuela. “For me in particular, I greatly enjoyed the interchange with the other groups.”

Today, Manuela continues to work for indigenous and women’s rights. She is on the advisory committee for EcoLogic, an environmental nonprofit working in Mexico and Central America, served as the sub-director of Guatemala’s presidential commission on human rights (COPREDEH), and continues to speak out about meeting the needs of women and indigenous people.

She believes that change in Guatemala and around the world will depend on developing the leadership and critical thinking of women.

“It’s waking up the community’s intelligence, imagination and their capacity for critical analysis,” she said. “We don’t want women to learn just concepts,” she said. “We want them to think for themselves, and together work to meet their needs and promote social action.”

(March 2010)