Greetings!

While we regularly focus on our work in health care, clean water, education, and income-generation, a central element that underpins all of these programs, and the pillar of our mission to “transform need into self-sufficiency,” is the training and accompaniment of local leaders.

When I first started with Concern as a volunteer in Guatemala, from 1997-1999, shortly after the program there was begun, I was one of eight volunteers. We worked with midwives and health and environmental promoters from about 30 communities. Today, we have just three volunteers working in more than 350 communities. This is possible because of the 16 local Guatemalan team leaders who do the community visits, teach the new promoters and midwives, and increasingly carry out more administrative tasks.

Earlier this month, I traveled to Guatemala, together with Concern’s Chief Executive, John Straw, to lead a workshop for these program leaders. Over the past few years, our field team members have led a series of leadership workshops with the local team members, each one building upon the other.

The theme of this workshop was “dreaming into the future,” the future that they see for their health program, which they call el Programa de Salud Maya-Petén: “Maya” for their indigenous roots, and “Petén” is the name of their department (state), the largest, most rural, and one of the most materially impoverished of Guatemala.

We worked for three days together, celebrating the many incredible milestones of Maya-Petén, while identifying the ways they envision growing to meet the health needs of the region and strengthening their leadership of the program. In the evenings, we laughed and deepened our relationships through stories of the past, karaoke, dancing, and a skit they put together, proudly telling the story of how Maya-Petén started.

I have known many of these leaders for decades now, and it is so moving to see the transformation. I remember when some came to their first health trainings, and now, in addition to being incredible health care providers, they are leading the program forward. A hope and light for our collective futures!

In peace,

Cat Quinn

Field Program Director