Archive for category: Indigenous Peoples

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Staying Connected: Indigenous Families in Mexico City

Indigenous Families in Mexico CityIn July 2025, the sound of drums carried across Zócalo as dancers and musicians in traditional prehispanic clothing performed ceremonies marking 700 years since the founding of Tenochtitlan. Families gathered around the square while performers celebrated traditions that long predate the modern capital. Behind them stood the Metropolitan Cathedral, built from the stones of the dismantled ceremonial precinct that once occupied the same ground. The celebration honored the city’s Indigenous foundations while also reflecting something much more current. Indigenous communities continue to shape life in Mexico City despite the pressures of poverty, migration and urban exclusion that many families experience after arriving in the capital.

Strengthening Community Ties

For many Indigenous families, gatherings such as these represent more than a commemoration. They provide an opportunity to strengthen community ties that can come under pressure from economic hardship and displacement. According to the World Bank, Indigenous people across Latin America continue to experience poverty at more than twice the rate of non-Indigenous populations, with Mexico home to one of the region’s largest Indigenous populations. As families move to the capital in search of work or education, community spaces help preserve the relationships, traditions and support networks that remain important long after they arrive.

Year-Round Community Life

The ceremonies in Zócalo lasted only a day, but community life continues throughout the year. Across the city, public spaces host language workshops, artisan markets, traditional dance, communal meals and cultural events that bring Indigenous families together on a regular basis. One example is Mexico City’s PILARES network, which has expanded across the capital to around 300 community centers offering free educational, cultural, sporting and skills-based programs. Alongside workshops and artistic activities, these centers provide places where residents can meet, organize local events and strengthen community ties without financial barriers to participation. During the anniversary celebrations, President Claudia Sheinbaum described Tenochtitlan not as “a dead past,” but as “the living pulse that beats beneath our capital city,” reflecting the continued presence of Indigenous culture in everyday life.

Shared Loss and Memory

Community space also takes shape through shared loss and memory. Across the capital, anti-monuments dedicated to people who have disappeared have become regular meeting places for families, campaigners and neighbors. Relatives return carrying photographs, embroidered names and banners demanding justice for those still missing. These gatherings rarely end when speeches finish. Families exchange legal information, organize future demonstrations, collect donations and support one another through investigations that often continue for years. Places of remembrance become places of practical solidarity as well as public memory.

Visibility and Support

Community spaces cannot remove the inequalities Indigenous families continue to face in Mexico City, but they can make them less isolating. Shared meals, neighborhood events, cultural workshops and public acts of remembrance allow families to exchange practical support while preserving language, tradition and collective memory. They also help ensure that Indigenous communities remain visible in the life of the capital. By the time the ceremonies in Zócalo came to an end, the crowds began to disperse, but the work of sustaining community continues elsewhere. Across Mexico City, shared spaces continue to bring Indigenous families together, strengthening relationships that extend well beyond a single celebration.

– Elliott J Carter

Elliott is based in Mexico City and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Indigenous Communities Fighting Period Poverty in Canada

Period Poverty in CanadaPeriod poverty is a growing issue in which those of menstruating age cannot gain access to the supplies needed, which in turn can be detrimental to health. In Canada, Indigenous women have a disproportionately higher difficulty in managing adequate period care. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan found that nearly 73% of indigenous women living in rural areas had difficulty accessing care, and nearly 55% in urban areas faced the same challenge. However, following a report from the House of Commons Canada titled, ‘LET’S TALK ABOUT IT, PERIOD: ACHIEVING MENSTRUAL EQUITY IN CANADA Report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women’ the government and community have taken strides to positively impact period poverty in Indigenous communities. Here is more information about how period poverty in Canada is being addressed in indigenous communities.

1. Canada’s Menstrual Equity Fund

Canada’s Menstrual Equity Fund (MEF) is a four phase project that aims to tackle stigma and obstacles that perpetuate period poverty in different forms. Phase one addresses research and engagement, revealing that the community felt that access, funding and education about menstruation and menstrual products were vital. Meanwhile, phase two focused on the establishment of a pilot program by providing free menstrual products across low income communities, as well as partnering with smaller community based organizations to provide education and reduce stigma. Phase 3 was a call for project proposals from five national nonprofits, during which Food Banks Canada was selected to run the pilot program. Meanwhile, phase four was implemented in September 2023, leading to 400 pilot sites and 2,000 distribution centers all across every province and territory. Funding went towards organizations that could provide ample menstruation education and access to free menstrual products. 

2. Prioritizing the Community

Historically, menstruation has been a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, often having deep cultural ties within indigenous cultures. However, the act of colonization erased many practices, and it is now important to support community led growth to promote diversity and inclusion. Days For Girls is an organization focused on tying education and access to menstruation products in order to promote real policy and advocacy change. In a series of recommendations for improving period poverty among Indigenous communities, they highlight the need for the approach to be community led, rather than an outreach program. This would include supporting traditional ceremonies, providing access and a variety of menstrual products, and addressing deeper issues that impact period poverty such as access to clean water and waste disposal. 

3. Providing Menstrual Education to All

A major component to period poverty is lack of education and stigma surrounding menstruation, which can create shame and embarrassment rather than a healthy environment. While there are several organizations focused on providing ample education, such as Monthly Dignity and The Period Purse, the need for a national guideline to provide an encompassing approach to menstrual education is a necessity. Additionally, educational continuity across the nation is necessary to ensure that each community receives the same level of care, access, and education. Furthermore, the education that people are receiving is often tied to the instructor’s level of comfort surrounding menstruation, a result of any stigma that may surround the subject. It is vital that the education provided be consistent and constant, helping erase stigma and provide adequate care for those who need it. 

Looking Ahead

Overall, while period poverty in Canada may seem like an immensely difficult issue to solve, these three points highlight that actionable and measurable change is possible. Through community guidance and advocacy, period poverty in Indigenous Canadian communities is more than possible, and is happening right now.

– Angel Savanagouder

Angel is based in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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5 Charities in the Republic of Congo

Charities Operating in the Republic of CongoThe Republic of Congo, sometimes referred to as Congo-Brazzaville, is a nation located in central Africa. Not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this nation is roughly seven times smaller than its resource-rich neighbor. While its economy benefits from being the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the World Bank, the nation also faces critical humanitarian and environmental concerns. The most recent data available indicates the poverty rate is approximately 51.7% in 2025.

The Republic of Congo faces vast challenges, including the threats of disease and climate change, despite possessing ancestral forests that hold the history of indigenous peoples and biodiversity that enriches the planet. In 2011, roughly 50 million people didn’t have access to clean drinking water. Fortunately, dedicated organizations strive to protect and empower local communities in the Republic of Congo. This article highlights five charities operating in the Republic of Congo that are making a significant impact.

1. Survival International 

Survival International works to protect Indigenous populations who have livelihoods that industries like logging, mining and oil extraction are threatening. The organization recognizes that land holds profound meaning beyond its economic value for many indigenous peoples. Survival International maintains a presence in 90 countries, including work focused on communities within the Republic of Congo. 

It is a strong advocate for the Baka People, an indigenous community residing in the Congo Basin rainforest, which runs primarily through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo and Gabon. Survival International highlights that, under the guise of international conservation efforts, the Baka people have suffered severe human rights abuses, including a loss of ancestral lands. The group uses the term “Green Genocide” to describe the events. 

Survival International strives to maintain its independence by refusing funding from national governments and corporations that infringe on indigenous rights. As of 2023, individual donors provided more than 65% of their annual budget. In the Republic of Congo, their primary methods for change involve lobbying and advocacy campaigns. Its work includes hands-on support for indigenous groups facing land disputes, as well as communicating these hardships to actors championing conservation efforts.

2. Sightsavers

Sightsavers is best known for its efforts to fight avoidable blindness. It also works to fight diseases that can lead to blindness and disability. Additionally, the group advocates for disability rights and inclusion. Founded in 1950, Sightsavers operates in more than 30 countries globally, working with both international and local organizations to provide accessible medical care. Eye health, eradicating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), education and social inclusion are among their highest priorities.

In the Republic of Congo, Sightsavers plays an important role in tackling lymphatic filariasis, which is a neglected tropical disease transmitted through mosquito bites that affects almost 120 million people worldwide. Most recognizable by the inflamed body parts of the afflicted, this disease can lead to permanent disability, including blindness, if not treated correctly. Currently, more than 1.1 million people in the Republic of Congo require medication to protect them from lymphatic filariasis. Sightsavers works in collaboration with the Congo’s Ministry of Health to facilitate the distribution of life-saving medicine, in addition to improving the overall healthcare systems and quality.

3. Salvation Army

While widely recognized for its holiday fundraising efforts, The Salvation Army provides invaluable disaster relief services for numerous developing countries, including the Republic of Congo. Its long-standing presence in the Congo since 1937 grew from small-scale community aid, like building health clinics and improving access to education, to more comprehensive disaster response. This makes them one of the vital five charities operating in the Republic of Congo during times of crisis.

In 2020, the Republic of Congo declared a state of emergency after ongoing floods decimated homes and communities in the Northern region. The floods affected an estimated 170,000 people, and destroyed more than 15,000 acres of agricultural fields. In response to this devastating event, the Salvation Army collaborated with the local government and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Through this partnership, they provided life-saving emergency food supplies, blankets, clothing and hygiene products to thousands of people fleeing their homes.

4. Acted 

Acted is another of the many charities operating in the Republic of Congo. The organization is a nonprofit humanitarian group headquartered in Paris, France, that adopts a multi-sectoral approach to aid. It operates within the crucial intersection between emergency relief services, sustainable development assistance and environmental protection.

In the Republic of Congo, its work most commonly involves strengthening community-based organizations, which are an essential part of the country’s developing civil society. Since 2012, Acted has maintained the Grassroots Organization Capacity Assessment (GOCA), which can help increase the capacity of civil society groups to receive funding. In 2024 alone, Acted has made significant contributions:

  • Supported 30 civil society organizations.
  • Following another devastating flood in March 2024, Acted distributed WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and non-food item kits to 1,050 households in the Bétou and Impfondo districts.
  • Supplied personal hygiene kits to 766 women and girls.

5. Aspinall Foundation 

The Aspinall Foundation, an animal conservation charity founded in 1984, protects endangered wildlife by returning captive-bred animals to secure wilderness areas. This innovative approach has led to the successful reintroduction of species such as Western lowland gorillas, black rhinos, Javan langurs and gibbons in the wild.

Its work reaches the Republic of Congo, where the dense northern rainforests are home to western lowland gorillas. Due to disease and poaching, these gorillas are critically endangered. Estimates have determined that one-third of the wild gorilla population died from Ebola in the early 2000s. The Aspinall Foundation actively works to secure a one-million-acre area in the savannah and forests of the Batéké Plateau, a region located between the Congo and its neighboring country, Gabon. It protects this crucial land for the gorillas, and simultaneously combat poaching through direct arrests and collaboration with law enforcement.

This protection does more than keep these powerful gorillas alive: conservation can drive economic growth through ecotourism, which is a budding industry for the nation. Healthy wildlife populations indicate a balanced ecosystem, which is crucial for providing clean water and air for human populations.

Looking Ahead

Among other things, the nation continues to face extreme natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks; however, for every flood or case of lymphatic filariasis, countless groups put in tremendous amounts of effort. While there is much work to be done, these five charities operating in the Republic of Congo combine international aid resources, advocacy efforts, and the bright minds within Congolese communities, providing an outstanding recipe for future success. 

– Julia Sanders

Julia is based in Fitchburg, WI, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Fighting Poverty in Indigenous Communities in Mexico

Poverty in Indigenous Communities in MexicoPoverty is one of the most pressing issues in Indigenous communities in Mexico. Besides all the hardships they face culturally, economically and socially. Indigenous communities face poverty in more than 70% of the indigenous populations. This affects their day-to-day life and impacts the kind of work, learning opportunities, and well-being initiatives they can access. Here are three organizations fighting poverty in Indigenous communities in Mexico.

The Hunger Project

The Hunger Project is an organization that works to help Indigenous and other marginalized communities to gain independence. It works with four main marginal areas in Mexico: Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatán, and Mexico City.

Its main goals are getting Indigenous communities to become self-sustaining by having distinct categories that they focus on management and authority, open-mindedness, food sufficiency, uplifting women, and profit.

The organization works with the government to create change in these categories, and they have seen amazing outcomes such as the way that women are viewed favorably in society and the recognition of injustices against women historically. As well as relationships with government authorities recognizing the independence of the people.

The Hunger Project has helped several other organizations that focus on fighting poverty in Indigenous communities in Mexico.

Indigenous Women-Led Food Security System (Citi Foundation) involves men and women from Oaxaca and Chiapas in a teaching operation that helps create long-lasting food supply, distribution and monetary wellbeing for those communities, their loved ones, and other members of the general public.

Eat Well Program (Guzman and Gomez) helps Indigenous communities strengthen their understanding and create food security by providing healthy foods and full meals from within Indigenous lands.

Plant With Purpose

Plant with Purpose focuses similarly to the Hunger Project on Chiapas, Oaxaca, but also Puebla as well. Its goal is to create connections between people and the land by uplifting families through organic agriculture and financial security.

“Healing the land is restoring hope,” the organization states on its website. One of its main goals is to make sure families stay together even when facing poverty. Due to poverty, farmhands often have to leave behind their families in order to still be able to find work to have an income for their families. So, what Plant with Purpose does is make sure that does not have to happen by helping Indigenous farmers to mend their land, boost land conditions, and harvest produce. This helps with economic sustainability and reduces the demand to find work elsewhere.

Its other goal is to restore land and nourish communities. The organization rebuilds land cleanness using recreation learnings from Indigenous insight. “Healthier gardens mean families can grow nutritious food and send kids to school”. Investment divisions often provide families a monetary safeguard and security for time to come. Discussion groups increase understanding and awareness among communities, fostering improved connection with others.

Pro México Indígena

Pro Mexico Indigena is a Mexican nonprofit that has been working for 26 years to fight poverty, scarcity of assistance and services, and public erasure. It works to empower Indigenous people and has worked with “11 indigenous ethnic groups in nine states of the Mexican Republic”. The organization has helped more than 300,000 indigenous people gain independence and improve their quality of life.

While these solutions are great, there is still a higher poverty rate present in Indigenous communities in Mexico and by increasing the number of organizations available for these Indigenous groups and communities, it will only make it easier and decrease the percentage of Indigenous communities who are still in poverty in Mexico. According to Mexicohistorico “geographical disparities exacerbate poverty levels. Rural areas, particularly in states like Chiapas and Guerrero, experience higher poverty rates compared to urban centers. This geographical divide leads to a concentration of resources and opportunities in metropolitan areas, leaving rural populations in a cycle of poverty that is difficult to escape.

– Leo Hardy

Leo is based in Muncie, IN, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Community Groups Supporting Indigenous Families in Mexico City

Indigenous Families in Mexico CityMexico City can offer opportunities, but for many families it also brings new pressures. Rent is high, work can be uncertain and basic services are not always easy to access. For Indigenous families, those pressures are often intensified by displacement, exclusion and the strain of trying to preserve community and identity in a city that can be indifferent to both. 

That is why local support matters. In practice, it can mean food, shelter, help staying in school or simply the reassurance that someone is taking a family’s future seriously. Community groups supporting Indigenous families in Mexico City are, at heart, about that kind of practical support and the difference it can make.

The Indigenous Education Support Program

The Indigenous Education Support Program provides lodging and food, promotes cultural identity and supports Indigenous and Afro-Mexican youth as they continue their studies. It is aimed particularly at students who do not have local educational options in their communities. This helps address longer-term issues when poverty is not only about income but also about whether young people can remain in school without being forced to choose between education and survival.

A program like this does more than meet an immediate need; it gives families a better chance of staying stable while helping younger people move forward without losing touch with their cultural identities.

Casa Tochán

Support in Mexico City also comes through shelters and community organizations that help people rebuild and settle after periods of upheaval. Casa Tochán is one such organization that supports people in migration in Mexico City through housing, medical and psychological care, job support and cultural activities. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) describes it as a place that helps people not only survive but begin to recover some sense of ordinary life.

Casa Tochán also provides paralegal advice, community health campaigns and support with local integration issues. Even though the shelter is not exclusively for Indigenous families, its work still speaks to the wider reality of exclusion in the city. Families arriving with few resources often face overlapping pressures related to housing, legal uncertainty, health and work. 

Casa Tochán’s model is useful because it treats those pressures as connected rather than separate. Its works allow families to focus on their own lives rather than becoming caught in the various bureaucratic webs these issues can create when kept separate.

The Impacts of Support 

What stands out about both the Indigenous Education Support Program and Casa Tochán is that neither treats poverty as an abstract issue. They respond to it by asking whether a child can remain in school, whether a family has food and shelter and whether people trying to build a life in Mexico City are met with respect rather than indifference. That may sound simple, but it is not insignificant.

For underrepresented families, consistent, local and humane support can shape the course of daily life. These community groups supporting Indigenous families in Mexico City are not only responding to need, but also reflecting the effort, care and quiet solidarity that help people endure and rebuild. Mexico City remains a difficult place for many families living at the margins.

However, these examples show that practical support is within reach. When organizations invest in education, shelter and everyday dignity, they make it easier for families not just to endure the city but to find some footing within it.

– Elliott Carter

Elliott is based in Mexico City, Mexico and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Everything You Need to Know About Poverty in Mexico

Poverty in MexicoPoverty in Mexico remains a major social challenge that affects different groups disproportionately, even as the country has made noticeable progress in recent years. In 2024, 38.5 million Mexicans, as much as 29.6% of the population, were living in multidimensional poverty. While that number remains strikingly high, it marks a notable decline of 8 million people in poverty from 2022. The shift suggests that while hardship remains widespread, recent support measures and broader social gains have helped ease conditions for millions of households.

Who Poverty in Mexico Affects Most

National figures only tell part of the story and might suggest that quality of life is improving nationally, however, poverty in Mexico continues to fall unevenly, with rural and Indigenous communities carrying a far heavier burden than the country as a whole. In rural areas, the poverty rate stood at an alarming 45.8% in 2024, compared with 25% in urban areas. This divide reflects more than geography alone. It indicates long-standing gaps in infrastructure, formal employment and access to support systems.

The disparity is even sharper for Indigenous communities. In 2024, 60.8% of Mexico’s Indigenous population was living in poverty. Although that figure represents an improvement from previous years, it does so at a less than the national rate, illuminating how deeply inequality remains embedded in communities that have had less access to opportunity and public investment.

Why Poverty Persists in Mexico

Part of the reason poverty in Mexico remains so difficult to overcome is that it is not just about wages. Mexico measures poverty through a multidimensional system, taking into account access to essentials such as education, health care and social protections. For many families, economic vulnerability persists because single setbacks such as illness, job losses or rising cost of living can quickly push them into poverty.

This is especially true where social protections remain weak. In 2024, nearly half of Mexico’s population did not have formal employment-based protections such as pensions, health coverage or other long-term support. This helps explain why national progress can coexist with persistent hardship, especially in the country’s most vulnerable regions.

Reducing Poverty in Mexico

What is helping, however, is easier to see in the latest data. Recent reporting suggests that social welfare programs and other support measures helped reduce hardships for many families. While that kind of support does not solve the deeper causes of poverty, it can make an immediate difference for households under financial pressure and help prevent even deeper forms of deprivation.

National programs have also tried to address poverty through employment schemes and rural development. Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro, for example, has supported millions of young people who are not in work or education with training and financial support, while Sembrando Vida is aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods by supporting farmers and local production. While these efforts are not enough to eliminate every structural cause of disproportionate poverty in Mexico, they show that targeted investment can expand opportunity and reduce vulnerability for many families, making a palpable difference to many lives.

Looking Forward

Poverty in Mexico remains a major issue, particularly for rural and Indigenous communities that continue to face the highest levels of hardship. Even so, the latest figures offer a measure of hope. Poverty has declined in recent years, and national support programs appear to be helping prevent even deeper deprivation. With sustained investment and continued attention to the communities most affected, Mexico has a real opportunity to build on that progress in the years ahead.

– Elliott J. Carter

Elliott is based in Mexico City, Mexico and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Toward Ending Poverty in Mayan Communities in Guatemala

Mayan Communities in guatemalaMayan communities are Indigenous to present-day Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and Mexico. In Guatemala, Mayan people make up 51% of the population, making it the only Central American country where more than half of the population is Mayan. Guatemala is considered one of the most impoverished countries in the region, with 56% of its population living below the national poverty line.

Conditions are generally worse for Mayan communities, many of whom live in rural areas far from major cities. As a result, access to essential services such as health care and education is often extremely difficult and in some cases, impossible. Poverty affects 75% of Indigenous populations in the country, compared to 36% of non-Indigenous people.

A Brief History

The Mayan civilization was a highly advanced, agriculture-based Mesoamerican society. It established city-states, developed sophisticated trade routes and made significant advances in writing, mathematics and astronomy. The Spanish conquest of the Maya in the 16th century led to a sharp decline in civilization, marking the first of three major periods of cultural erasure.

The Liberal Revolution of 1871 triggered a second wave of repression against Mayan communities. The new government dispossessed Indigenous populations of their land, including farms belonging to Mayan families. Many were then forced into exploitative labor systems, working on lands that had been taken from them.

In the ’80s, during a period of military rule, General Efraín Ríos Montt led a counterinsurgency campaign targeting Mayan communities that had long advocated for basic rights and cultural recognition. The army destroyed more than 600 villages, killing or disappearing more than 200,000 people. It also displaced more than 1.5 million others during three years of conflict.

Despite these periods of violence and repression, Mayan communities in Guatemala have endured. Today, the country is home to 24 Indigenous ethnic groups that continue to practice their cultures and preserve their languages.

Medicine and Health

Access to health care is often more difficult for rural Indigenous communities around the world and Mayan communities in Guatemala are no exception. With few hospitals located in rural areas, many people must travel for hours to receive care. Maternal mortality rates among Mayan women are also significantly higher. 

The maternal mortality ratio for Mayan women is 166, compared to 78 for non-Indigenous Guatemalans. This disparity is partly driven by limited access to health facilities in rural areas, which forces many women to give birth at home. At the core of these disparities is a “deep-seated mistrust of institutional health care, rooted in historical trauma and systemic neglect.” 

Beyond physical distance, Mayan communities also face major cultural and structural barriers, including language, cost and discrimination. For many, the challenge is not only a lack of access to health facilities, but also a lack of what some experts describe as “cultural accessibility.”

Wuqu’ Kawoq (Maya Health Alliance) strives to address the health care challenges Mayan communities face every day. With a mission to advance health equity, the alliance serves more than 11,000 people annually. It plays a significant role in improving both access to care and the quality of health care available to Mayan communities in Guatemala.

Education

Access to education is similarly restricted when children have no nearby schools to attend each day. Karla Sucely Ramos Reyes, a kindergarten teacher based in Guatemala City, told The Borgen Project that in some cases, “children have to walk several kilometers to attend” school, contributing to low attendance and a “shortage of teachers.” She also noted that while nearly all children in major cities complete secondary education, “in rural areas, boys typically study up to the sixth grade of primary school.”

Adult literacy rates in Guatemala are relatively high overall, reaching 82% in 2024, according to the World Bank. However, literacy rates are significantly lower among Indigenous communities, at just 33%. Reyes also noted that “public schools [in Guatemala] do not have libraries.” She added that the government “provides little funding to libraries,” which means many rely largely on “donations from organizations that support literary and cultural arts.”

Chajul, a small town in Guatemala and home to the Ixil Maya community, opened its first public library, the Saber Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library, in 2010. The library houses more than 11,500 books in English, Spanish and Ixil, along with quiet study rooms and community spaces designed to support learning and growth. It also offers a range of programs, classes and projects to bridge the educational gap and encourage young people to embrace their Indigenous language and culture.

Labor and Employment

The labor market is often unforgiving for many urban Mayan people. Linguistic and cultural barriers continue to shape employment opportunities, as those who speak little or no Spanish and wear traditional clothing often face discrimination when seeking work. This can severely limit access to stable employment, social security and a livable income.

Women’s labor force participation in urban areas is nearly 50%. For Indigenous women in rural areas, however, that figure is significantly lower. Reyes also told The Borgen Project that gender-based wage inequality is more common in rural areas than in major cities.

Employment patterns also reflect deep inequality. For example, Mayan people make up 80% of domestic workers in private homes. In politics, by contrast, Indigenous people account for only 15% of parliamentarians. 

Mayan Power and Light (MPL), a project developed by the nonprofit Appropriate Technology Collaborative, is one initiative helping Mayan women pursue careers as entrepreneurs through training in green technology, particularly solar energy. Through workshops and training sessions, MPL seeks to address unemployment and gender inequality in the workforce. MPL also promotes sustainable, renewable energy solutions in Guatemala. In doing so, it is helping create a brighter future in more ways than one.

Looking Forward

Several other organizations are also making a meaningful difference for Mayan communities in Guatemala. The Office of the Ombudsman for Indigenous Women (DEMI), for example, is a government institution that works to defend the rights of Indigenous women by addressing discrimination and other forms of vulnerability. Although many initiatives are working to challenge inequality and confront the lasting effects of colonial oppression on Mayan communities in Guatemala and beyond, significant work remains.

Advocating for increased government investment in health care and education, while raising awareness of the inequalities faced by Mayan communities across the country, are essential steps toward a brighter, sustainable and equal future. 

– Brittany Buscio

Brittany is based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Education and Indian Tribal Communities Fight Against Poverty

Education and Indian Tribal CommunitiesIndia prides itself on its rich cultural diversity, being home to the origin and existence of a variety of cultural groups. Indian tribal communities occupy a unique place within this diversity, with lineages and cultural practices dating back centuries. However, these Indigenous communities face poverty challenges of their own.

Moreover, their remote geographical locations further distance them from access to governmental aid. Over the years, different provisions and strategies were attempted, among which the chief focal point was improving literacy rates. Officials and some of the Indigenous groups view education as a potent long-term solution to alleviate the lives of the poor in this region.

Indian Tribal Communities and Poverty

Poverty ranks among the top socio-economic problems that the Scheduled Tribes in India encounter. A 2011 national census states that 45.3% of tribal communities in rural areas live below the poverty line, while their urban counterparts record 24.1% below the poverty line. Several social studies conducted in the last few decades also identify similar problems, along with a lack of resources, clean drinking water, sanitation and access to health care.

In historic times, records suggest that tribal communities flourished in a lifestyle centered around hunting, agriculture and barter trade systems. However, due to invasions and encroachment over centuries, many lost land and migrated to hilly regions.

The groups’ current landscape lacks resources that can nurture their survival, let alone provide a stable means of livelihood. Additionally, even those Indigenous groups that attempt to assimilate with the wider nation encounter unemployment challenges due to the existing literacy gap.

Education and Indian Tribal Communities

Indian tribal groups have a two-pronged approach toward mainstream education. One aspect views education as a means of economic and social empowerment. On the other hand, concerns about preserving cultural identity lead specific groups to show hostility toward central education.

Presently, in 2026, numerous scholars, including many from tribal origins, work toward building a more optimistic perspective. They identify issues and strategies that could help education become more culturally sensitive and accommodating of the inherent differences between tribal groups.

One particular social research study delves into several challenges in tribal communities’ education. Firstly, the lack of proper school infrastructure and accessibility poses a significant impediment. Second, economic and livelihood demands often include children as an integral part of procuring food or income.

In such cases, tribal families tend to view sending children to school as a luxury they cannot afford, despite education being free. Thus, many experts highlight the need to include Indigenous group members in the decision-making process regarding education for children in these communities.

Education’s Role in the Fight Against Poverty

While earlier sections discussed the poverty existing among tribal and Indigenous groups in India, many proposed solutions point toward education. Studies over the past century emphasize the role education can play in poverty reduction.

Nobel laureate economist James Heckman stated that early education can help break the cycle of poverty across multiple generations. A 2017 report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says that nearly 420 million people could escape poverty if they complete secondary education.

Through education, tribal communities, specifically those residing in urban areas, stand a higher chance of employment. Subsequently, this leads to improved access to basic needs such as food, health care and economic opportunity.

Moreover, education can help empower multiple aspects of Indigenous communities. For children, it opens opportunities beyond the villages and cities of their upbringing. Adult tribal men can benefit from technology and other advancements that education provides for farming, animal rearing and other means of livelihood.

Women, through education, may benefit significantly. Apart from financial independence, Adivasi women can face gender-based risks such as domestic abuse, child marriage and human trafficking. Literacy and education can help women better protect themselves from such risks and improve their economic opportunities.

Looking Ahead

Education has the potential to transform the lives of Indian tribal communities. As discussed, policymakers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) continue to address many factors contributing to poverty among tribal groups through education initiatives. However, experts note that strategies require culturally responsive and community-centered approaches to education. Such approaches may improve the likelihood of reducing poverty within these communities.

– Shafika Fathima

Shafika is based in Chennai, India and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Struggle With Higher Education in Guatemala

Higher Education in GuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America with a population of 18.45 million people, of whom more than half are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Unfortunately, the one factor that could be leading them above poverty also has alarming data. It is a well-known fact that a good and complete education is vital for the eradication of poverty. In fact, every additional year of education increases a person’s income by 10% on average, contributing to the overall development and improvement of their life and their community.

However, in Guatemala, only 56.6% of 25-year-olds have completed elementary school, and 17.9% have completed upper secondary grades. When it comes to higher education in Guatemala, only 5.1% hold a bachelor’s degree and 0.4% hold a master’s degree. Some of the reasons for these low percentages are as follows.

A Weak Foundation for Higher Education 

Legally, education is free and compulsory for children up to the age of 14. However, due to the low number of educators, low quality of education and poor infrastructure, the basic education facilities are not satisfactory. Moreover, within socioeconomically challenged communities, due to family constraints and economic pressure, most children drop out and aim to contribute financially. Overall, a bottleneck exists at the base level, which leads to further declining number of students pursuing a higher education. To increase primary education among the underprivileged children, the government have created targeted scholarship programs and an early warning system, ENTRE, to identify and support students at-risk for dropping out. The long-term benefits of these measures are yet to be seen.

Diminished Access To Higher Education in Guatemala

Currently, Guatemala has only one public university, Universidad de San Carlos (USAC), and 15 private universities, such as Universidad Rafael Landívar, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and Universidad Francisco Marroquín. For those in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, real and holistic access to these few universities is limited. These universities are based in Guatemala City or larger towns, leading to restrictions for people all over the country, such as relocation, housing and transportation costs. These often hinder individuals from pursuing higher education. The small concentration of universities also provides fewer opportunities for these individuals. Programs and NGO funded scholarships, like PROGRESA, aim to target academically gifted, disadvantaged students, hoping to offset the access barrier.

Scarce Funding for Disadvantaged Students

Globally, governments allocate around 4.3% of gross domestic product to the education sector. Unfortunately, the Guatemalan government invests only approximately 3.1% of its GDP to education. The scholarships set aside for the socioeconomically disadvantaged community reflect this. Only 0.01% of the overall education spending goes toward scholarships for higher education. Moreover, scholarships are competitive, often targeting individuals with an excellent academic track record. Unfortunately, since the number of students who have completed both primary and secondary levels is quite low, there is a limited number of students who may obtain and benefit from these scholarships.

Language and Cultural Barriers 

Indigenous Guatemalans make up 43% of the overall population, of whom 80% live in extreme poverty conditions. These individuals face additional language and cultural barriers. A Spanish-centric and culturally non-inclusive education system leads to poor completion rates among indigenous students both at the basic and higher education levels. These students also face discrimination based on ethnicity, which leads to limited opportunities and unequal treatment and resources. Indigenous communities have created six Mayan universities, designed for their younger generations, but are yet to have their courses certified officially. Foundations, like the BFB Foundation, and programs, aim to support indigenous youth through scholarships and mentorships, so they go on to complete their higher education.

Looking Ahead

These factors are a few among many that have resulted in the poor educational levels in the country. Overall, the higher education system in Guatemala requires further investment, better policies and more refinement, such that the younger generations among socioeconomically challenged communities are empowered to rise above and uplift their communities. Steps are being taken in response, however, only time will tell how effective they are. 

– Nishtha Mahendra Kumar

Nishtha is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Migration to Hawaii

Migration to HawaiiBefore becoming the 50th United State, the islands that constitute the archipelago of Hawaii were first populated by South Pacific voyagers. These voyagers respected the land and sea for their agricultural and aquacultural benefits and eventually settled in the archipelago. In 1795, King Kamehameha united the various chiefdoms, and by 1810, the archipelago had become the Kingdom of Hawaii. In 1824, King Kamehameha II visited London in an effort to gain recognition for Hawaii as a nation-state, and in 1874, King Kalākaua became the first foreign leader to attend a state dinner at the White House.

By then, missionaries had also migrated to Hawaii and integrated into the government as the Reform Party. To gain control of Hawaii, the Reform Party forced King Kalākaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution, which shifted power from Native Hawaiians to landowners from the United States, Britain and Germany. The Kingdom of Hawaii ended in 1893 when wealthy businessmen who formed the Committee of Safety overthrew the government with the support of the U.S. Navy. The Committee of Safety then petitioned the United States for annexation, and Hawaii became a United States territory in 1898 and a state in 1959.

Present-Day Migration to Hawaii

Research conducted by the University of Hawaii revealed that in 2023, 80% of migrants to Hawaii were from other U.S. states. However, it also found that long-term residents are moving away, with about 58,000 residents leavingHawaii in 2023. Additionally, data from 2010 to 2023 show an increase in net migration to Hawaii that began in 2020 and reached its peak in 2021. Analysts attribute this surge to residents from other states taking advantage of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond migrants from the U.S. mainland, there is also a significant population of Asian and Hispanic residents. According to 2024 U.S. Census data for Hawaii, 43.5% of the population identified as white, 57.6% as Asian, 10.2% as Hispanic and 27.4% as Native Hawaiian. Hawaii Magazine reports that Asian immigrants from Japan, China, Korea and the Philippines arrived in the 1850s as laborers contracted by American and English sugar plantation owners. After completing their contracts, many remained in Hawaii to raise their families and provide opportunities for their children.

The Impact on the Native Hawaiian Population

When Hawaii became a United States territory, Native Hawaiians experienced denationalization through loss of land, military occupation, Christianization, assimilation and marginalization. In 1896, the native Hawaiian language was banned, resulting in many Native Hawaiians primarily speaking English. Denationalization also included the Americanization of schoolchildren, and those who did not conform were often directed into labor after grade school instead of continuing their education.

Currently, Native Hawaiians are a minority in Hawaii and experience lower socioeconomic status and higher education attainment rates compared to other groups. Migration from the U.S. mainland has contributed to rising living costs, and some Native Hawaiians have relocated to the mainland as housing prices increased. Increased migration has been linked to higher prices for goods and real estate, making affordable housing more difficult to obtain.

Ongoing Efforts 

In 2023, Hawaii experienced wildfires on Maui. Gov. John Green announced that he would not allow U.S. mainland buyers to make predatory offers to purchase land from local residents affected by the fires. The governor and the state attorney general placed a moratorium prohibiting the sale of properties damaged or destroyed by the wildfires.

In the aftermath of the wildfires, Bill 9 was introduced and signed into law in December 2025. Bill 9 phases out certain transient vacation rentals and returns apartment-zoned land to local residents. According to county data, 94% of units affected by Bill 9 are owned by non-Maui residents, and many do not reside in Hawaii. The law does not end tourism but aims to address housing availability for local residents. Rental units will be reclassified under hotel zoning.

Additionally, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) was established in 1978 to advocate for Native Hawaiians. OHA works to support the preservation of Native Hawaiian land and culture, promote economic sufficiency and expand access to education and health care. The organization supports initiatives that address health, affordable housing, culture-based education and financial empowerment.

Looking Ahead

While economic pressures and migration to Hawaii continue to shape the country’s future, recent policy efforts and longstanding institutions such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs demonstrate ongoing work to address housing access, cultural preservation and economic equity. As state leaders balance tourism, development and community needs, these initiatives reflect steps toward protecting Native Hawaiian communities while supporting sustainable growth across the islands.

– Thirza List

Thirza is based in the United States and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr