About San Franciscanas
Who
are we?
We are a young association of Q´echi´ and ladino women that
live in the municipality of San Francisco in the state of Petén.
We were founded with help of the municipality in june 2000 with the objective
of organizing the women and being able to consolidate ourselves as such.
We had to confront considerable limitations such as the paterns to which
we are culturally bound in our country, the lack of consciousness and
acknowledgement of the work of the women. Despite all these obstacles
we have managed to keep alive the hope of the women to be part of a social
change.
We are composed of members belonging to seven different
villages. Our structure is comprised of a general board and different
local boards in orders to improve our coordination and communication system.
Currently, we are assisting the women in the villages
in their seek for financial funds in order for our members to be able
to earn some money and to contribute to the economy of their families.
With the help of COMADEP and of the municipality we have been able to
implement various projects in the villages among which a maize milling
project, a chicken project, a pig project and a project for the production
of brown beans. Without any doubt there are still many obstacles that
we have to overcome in order to stand stronger.
projects to improve their life standards
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A maize mill that has been installed for the Q´éqchi´
women in San Jose Pinares
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Our vision
and mission:
We want to be an autonomous organization with capacity
to implement cultural integration, democracy, equality of gender and social
participation of women. We want to contribute to a more fair and balanced
system in our municipality by conducting activities that enforce the integral
development of our members.
We are a women´s association that is legally acknowledged and we
are independent from any political or religious groups. We have a civil
character and work with seven villages in San Francisco. With the participation
of the women we strive to realize an economic, social, political and cultural
improvement of their situation by valorizing their work and decisiontaking.
We train them in how to start a small business, in administration and
project management.
Our activities:
With the help of COMADEP, who has assisted and acompanied us in our work, we have been able to realize the following activities:
Self esteem courses, administration projects, gender, valorization and acknowledgment of the work of the women, civil and politic participation, organization and project development and management.
To improve the womens economic situation, some projects like chcken barnes, pig raising, shops and the production of brown beans and butter have been implemented at family level.
about politics
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These activities have in a way been able to provide for some of the most
important needs of the women and have contributed to the participation
and acknowledgement of their own work.
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Contact San Franciscanas:
Floridalma Chan
President and legal representant
Frente de la Plaza Central
Aldea San Juan de Dios
San Francisco, Petén
Tel: 8012100 (Floridalma Chan)
Cel: 9147651 (Teresa Portillo)