Location – Oaxaca, Mexico
The Project – Mano Vuelta is a multidisciplinary team of professional indigenous and afro-mexican women from Oaxaca. They work with the local community, supporting children’s and women’s rights through an “anti racist, human rights perspective” empowering indigenous women through research, training, education and art.
Our Support – The LATA Foundation’s funding is going towards the training and development of 10 young women, who will then go on to be advocates for their community. The training encourages them to become more politically involved so that they can help promote the rights of indigenous and afro-mexican women and children in Oaxaca.
Oaxaca is considered one of the most culturally appealing destinations in Mexico for tourists and the indigenous and afro mexican communities are a vital part of what makes Mexico the beautifully diverse country it is.
By funding this project we are supporting work to keep it this way and ensure a fairer future for indigenous and afro-mexican women and children.
Further information – Mano Vuelta believes that investing in women’s training changes not only the lives of the women but also their families and communities. Mano Vuelta’s focus is to empower young women so that they can educate other members in their community, rather than employing external agents.
These young women know their community better than anyone else, so are best placed to understand the challenges faced and what will make a difference. However, Indigenous and afro-mexican women have historically been undervalued and subjected to terrible inequalities (even in tourist destinations like Oaxaca) the femicide rates and the numbers of women who have ‘disappeared’ are still shockingly high, and many young girls are still forced into child marriages.
Mano Vuelta is working to change this, by empowering girls and women, and changing laws and policies to give children and women more protection.
Here are some examples of past and present projects:
- Promoting the political rights of indigenous women in the Sierra Sur.Women’s Rights
- Participation in the community life of the community of El Camarón, Nejapa de Madero, Yautepec, Oaxaca
- Learning about the Political Participation of indigenous and afro-Mexican women
- Political Participation of the Ña´a Savi´´i
- Ramona’s Legacy
www.manovuelta.org