Annual Report 2021 - REALgirl (SERniña) by REALgirl - SERniña

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

FOUNDER’S MESSAGE

3 4 5 6 7 14 15 16

8 ABOUT REALgirl (SERniña)

- What We Do

- Our Mission

- Our Vision

WHY WE WORK IN GUATEMALA

LOOKING BACK - THE REALGIRL (SERNIÑA) STORY IN GUATEMALA

OUR IMPACT SINCE 2015

2021 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

- Blooming in Freedom – COVID

- Distance Learning Empowerment Program

- SERelCambio Leadership & Community Activism Program

- Violence Prevention & Support

- Whole-Family Support Programs

- Workshops for Women & Mothers

INTRODUCING REALgirl ETHIOPIA!

2021 IMPACT IN NUMBERS WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD IN 2022

- REALgirl and SERniña is built on the foundation of

- partnerships

- Financial Summary

- Thank You to our Foundational Partners and Donors

- Our 2022 Team

FOUNDER’S MESSAGE

Another year has passed and what a year it has been!

The challenges faced around the world have been significant and hard to grapple with. Longstanding social justice issues are finally getting the attention they deserve, which brings to light violent injustices and the associated deep, generational wounds. Poverty and famine are worse than they’ve been in years. Rates of gender-based violence continue to rise in a phenomenon called the “shadow pandemic”. Girls and women are being disproportionately impacted and disempowered by the pandemic and consequent economic and social issues.

Even though we have all felt these challenges in our own lives, the reality is, the impacts are the most devastating to those living in poverty, such as the women and children living in Guatemala.

Though the challenges faced this year were significant, at REALgirl (SERniña), when we look back on 2021, we are not overwhelmed by the challenges, but instead inspired by the resilience, strength, and commitment of the communities and individuals we serve, as well as the incredible impact and growth of our programs, even in such a challenging year.

Here are the highlights of the important work we were able to achieve in 2021:

• We re-structured our programs to address on-going school closures and launched our innovative “Blooming in Freedom” Empowerment & Equity Magazine series which reached hundreds of vulnerable children in Guatemala

• We launched our “Whole Family Healing Program” with over 120 family members participating in weekly workshops

• Our team in Guatemala grew to 15 local staff including educators, social workers, Mayan healers, therapists, psychologists and community facilitators

• We gained new foundational partners to allow us to reach more children and their families than ever before, such as the Luis Von Ahn Foundation, Global Fund for Children, the Fund for Innovation and Transformation, and Global Affairs Canada, and we grew our relationships with long-term partners TIDES and Rotary

And so much more….

This year we worked directly with over five hundred individuals. That is five-hundred stories of hope. Five-hundred stories of people fighting for their right to live a life free from violence, poverty, and oppression. We were honored to be supporting these five hundred brave individuals as they created their own empowered path.

Despite all the challenges, our participants have increased their engagement with our programs, and our programs have continued to increase our support of each child.

We want to take a moment to thank all of our donors who make our work possible each day. None of what we do would be possible without you! Thank you for continuing to believe in our work and for increasing your support even in these challenging times. Thank you for helping REALgirl (SERniña) continue to help create hundreds of stories of hope, bravery, and resilience.

From the bottom of our hearts,

DANIELLE SKOGEN & ANEA BOGUE

ABOUT REALGIRL (SERniña)

What We Do

REALgirl (SERniña) provides transformative workshops dedicated to empowerment and gender equity for youth around the world. Through our workshops and programs, youth develop the knowledge, skills, and courage they need to make informed life-choices and reach their highest potential. We run all of our programs in partnership with local schools and organizations in some of the world’s most marginalized and at-risk communities. Our indepth curriculum runs weekly over the course of three years and fosters the development of self-esteem, personal agency, social-emotional development, human rights advocacy, violence prevention, leadership, and activism.

REALgirl (SERniña) was created to be a support program to schools, public programs, and other non-governmental organizations to take on a holistic approach to girls’ empowerment and address the challenging and dangerous issues facing girls, such as low self-esteem rates leading to risky behaviours, girls entering into unhealthy and violent relationships with older men, high pregnancy rates, high dropout rates, high rates of domestic and sexual abuse, and extremely strong societal

Our Mission

To advance gender equality in Guatemala by supporting the empowerment of girls, women and youth to reach their highest potential and become innovative leaders dedicated to the creation of safe, equitable, and just communities.

pressure to have girls/women staying at the home and not pursuing their own futures. Recognizing the critical role boys and men play in the creation of safe and equal communities, REALgirl (SERniña) also developed and runs the “REALboy” Program which is focused on involving boys in the movement towards women’s empowerment and gender equality and support them in overcoming the obstacles they face so they can also reach their highest potential.

Recognizing that the youth in our program do not live in a bubble, we also work in partnership with parents, educators, and community leaders to help whole communities heal from the trauma of patriarchal dominance, violence, and racial injustices, to reconnect society to its ancestral roots and create communities that are interdependent, interconnected, and equitable.

REALgirl builds all of its programs on the firm belief that we are all members of one “human team” and together we are stronger.

In all that we do we take on a feminist, holistic, and community-centered approach to gender equity and empowerment.

Our Vision

A Gender Equal Guatemala where everyone reach their highest potential and safe, equitable, and just communities are the norm.

WHY WE WORK IN GUATEMALA?

Guatemala remains one of the most dangerous and disempowering countries in the world to be a girl:

Teen girls became pregnant in 2021, that is one girl every 7 minutes

Reports of gender-based violence are filed daily, and 10% of cases are against children

Increased incidents of violence against women since the pandemic

Of girls are mrried before the age of 18

Of Guatemalan girls have completed secondary education Of women have formal employment,

to 85% men

LOOKING BACK - THE REALgirl (SERniña) STORY IN GUATEMALA

From economic opportunity to educational attainment, legal and social rights to physical and sexual violence, women and girls face larger obstacles, more discrimination, and have less access opportunities than boys and men. These overt obstacles coupled with constant subtle messages of male superiority greatly damage a girl’s self-esteem and sense of self-worth, leading to increased vulnerabilities and risk factors such as dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, and entering violent relationships.

Though there are ample programs focused on education and health in a general sense, very few programs exist to support the unique and challenging obstacles faced by girls and women.

In 2015, at the request of local educators, psychologists, and social workers, the REALgirl Foundation launched its first branch in Latin America, “SERniña” (to be a girl) address the critical need in Guatemala.

Led by local educators, psychologists, social workers, and activists, with the close support of REALgirl, SERniña has created a completely customized version of the REALgirl Curriculum which is culturally and socially relevant for children growing up in poverty in Guatemala.

Since 2015, SERniña has remained fiercely committed to eradicating gender inequality and advancing the empowerment of girls and women. To reach our mission we have grown our programs in the following ways:

• We have expanded our programs for girls to a two-year 160-hour empowerment program

• We created a parity two-year program to work with boys and encourage their commitment to gender equity and advancing girls and women

• We have launched a third-year leadership program for youth

• We have created capacity building programs for teachers

• We have launched ‘whole family programs’ which provide support to mothers, fathers and whole families

We are incredibly proud of all that we have achieved at SERniña. None of it would be possible without the support of our donors and foundational partners. As a grassroots organization, every dollar helps us build and grow our programs.

OUR IMPACT SINCE 2015

Since 2015...

1,317 children have completed our year-long programs

Over 1,800 girls have participated in our empowerment and leadership activities

Over 1,100 additional girls have engaged in specialty programs

18 18 local men and women have been trained as Facilitators

Less than 1.5% of participants have become pregnant

18 different local schools/organizations have implemented our programs, reaching 14 different communities

Over 90% of our participants continue in school

600 600 boys have participated in our gender equity programs

2021 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Blooming in Freedom” – COVID Distance Learning Empowerment Program

To address on-going school closures and lockdowns, in 2021 we launched our “Blooming in Freedom” empowerment and equity magazine program. For this program, we re-designed our regular SERniña/ SERniño workshop program into monthly distance learning magazines. Each magazine covers 1-2 of our “12 Core Modules” and includes key information and engaging activities. Each month REALgirl (SERniña) Facilitators lead individual coaching calls with each participant to check in on well-being, safety and magazine understanding.

Sample Pages from our Magazines:

Magazine 1:

SERniña - Siento, reconozco y conecto

Magazine 2:

SERniño - Descubriendo mi pensamiento crítico: escucho, pienso, reflexiono y decido

Magazine 3:

SERniña - Comprendo mis derechos y dignidad humana

Magazine 4:

SERniño - Inequidad de género

The SERniña Core Modules and Themes are:

• Critical Thinking and Using Your Voice

• Discovering Your REAL Self (Authentic Self-Discovery and Self-Love)

• Understanding and Protecting Your Human Right

• Creating Your Own Path (Personal Agency and Goal Setting)

• Understanding & Overcoming Gender Roles

• Creating Gender Equality (Feminism & Women’s Empowerment)

The Magazine’s Principal Characters:

Hi, my name is Nkutzijan, it means ‘Blooming’ in Kaqchikel. My mission is to be an inspiration for all the girls on SERniña.

• Your Amazing Body (Puberty & Menstrual Health)

• Your Body. Your Rules (Bodily Autonomy & Consent)

• Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Education

• Creating Healthy Relationships with Yourself & Others (Healthy Communication, Boundary Setting, and Violence Prevention)

• Your Body Is A Temple (Nutrition and Exercise)

Our mission is to accompany boys and girls on their journey through SERniña and SERniño. The wild cat and the hummingbird, our nahuales represent a reflection voice

Hi, my name is Kan, it is based on a nahual that represents movement. I represent a boy from el Hato with a big connection with nature

“One of the major changes I have seen since the launch of SERniña’s “Whole Family Approach” is the increased empowerment of women in the community of El Hato. They are standing up for themselves and taking action to create change. For example, in the past few weeks four women have asked SERniña’s support in accessing reproductive health care and over 20 women have asked to attend literacy courses.” - Mayan Therapist & Healer

Impact:

400 children participated in our “Blooming in Freedom” – COVID Distance Learning Empowerment Program

SERelCambio Leadership & Community Activism Program

SERelCambio (Be The Change) is a program aimed at young graduates of our other flagship programs. Whereas our flagship programs focus on personal empowerment, SERelCambio encourages youth to apply their learning from SERniña/SERniño in their daily lives and step up as agents of positive change in their families, schools, and communities. Throughout the course of the program participants explore local community needs,

brainstorm creative solutions, and then plan, execute and evaluate a youth-led community action project. SERelCambio is based on the award-winning methodology of the SERES leadership program.

Impact:

24 youth participated in our SERelCambio program in 2021

Violence Prevention & Support

In 2021, we were proud to launch a new branch of our program which provides holistic violence prevention and response support to survivors of violence in our programs and their family. This program was created to respond to the high rates of unaddressed domestic and gender-based violence faced by our young participants. In 2021, we hired a ‘Violence Prevention & Response Coordinator’ to take the lead on program design and implementation. This new program provides the following services to children in our programs and their families: free group therapy, free one-on-one therapy, free family counselling, free legal support, and personalized case support for each survivor of violence.

Impacts:

• 54 children and mother’s received comprehensive support

• 567 therapy sessions were provided through this program

Workshops for Women & Mothers

Our REALwoman (SERmujer) program is built off the REALgirl (SERniña) program and provides women and mother’s with age-appropriate access to our transformative programs. For the majority of mother’s, it is the first time they have ever learned about their rights, sexual and reproductive health, menstruation and more.

Our local team works in close collaboration with each community to provide additional customised support to the women’s groups. These supports include, but are not limited to:

• Sexual and reproductive health access & support

• Literacy workshops

• Therapy

“One of the major changes I have seen is the increased empowerment of women in the community of El Hato. They are standing up for themselves and taking action to create change. For example, in the past few weeks four women have asked SERniña’s support in accessing reproductive health care and over 20 women have asked to attend literacy courses.” - Mayan Therapist & Healer

Impact:

40 women participated in our programs in 2021

Whole-Family Support Programs

In 2021, through the support of the Fund for Innovation & Transformation and Global Affairs Canada, SERniña launched an innovative approach to violence prevention and response that works with entire families (parents, siblings, and victims) to provide healing-based workshops to help entire families overcome the trauma of abuse and step up as co-creators of violence-free and gender-equitable communities. Key components of this approach in-

clude using traditional Mayan healing methodologies and taking a restorative justice approach. Through the support of FIT, Canadian Humanitarian, and our local partner SERniña by REALgirl is testing the impact and effectiveness of a holistic, family-centered, gender-equity focused violence prevention and response program in Guatemala. Key innovations of this project include incorporating Mayan restorative justice methodologies, offering a healing-focused approach to violence prevention and response, and engaging whole families and boys and men throughout the process.

• To reduce rates of gender-based violence

• To increase understanding and application of gender equity within Guatemalan households

• To increase access to holistic, comprehensive, and healing-centered violence response services

• To increase engagement, commitment, and accountability among Guatemalan community members to address violence in their community and support survivors of violence

We are only half-way through the project, which wraps up in August 2022, but already we have seen incredibile impacts:

~150

Community members of all ages are participating in the weekly programs

29 50% 650%

Of parents are attending couples therapy

Families are receiving monthly food hampers

Arise of men’s involvement in gender equity initiatives

“FIT is excited to support Canadian Humanitarian and it’s local partner, REALgirl (SERniña) and their innovative solution “Holistic Gender-Based Violence Prevention & Response”, said Christina MacIsaac, Director of Innovation for the Fund for Innovation and Transformation. FIT understands that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is systemic and must be prevented. The innovation being tested by Canadian Humanitarian has the potential to significantly impact the lives of women and girls in Guatemala by reducing GBV. We look forward to understanding what they learn from testing in the months ahead.”

“Coming to the mother’s workshops at SERniña and getting the support of the SERniña therapist has changed my life. It is truly the first time I have ever felt safe to open up or like anyone was listening or cared. Since joining SERniña I have realized how much anger I have been carrying with me. I was so angry every day. I felt like a soda bottle ready to “pop”. And, I know it impacted my family. My anger made me treat my children in bad ways. In my SERniña therapy sessions, I finally have the space to release and process my emotions. I have learned coping skills such as breathing exercises, affirmations and how to use my Chakras. This program has changed my life. I am happier and that makes me a better mom. I can show my children more love and support so they can be successful too! Thank you for caring about us in El Hato. Thank you for caring for my family and my children.” – Mother enrolled in the FIT Project

FIT Testimonial

Introducing REALgirl Ethiopia!

In 2019, REALgirl (SERniña) created a partnership with Canadian Humanitarian to mutually bolster our programs. Canadian Humanitarian has been working in Ethiopia for over 16 years providing holistic education, empowerment, and health support to over 1,500 children in youth living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia.

In 2021, working in close collaboration with Canadian Humanitarian’s Canadian and Ethiopian team, we launched the pilot of REALgirl and REALboy in Ethiopia. Our approach in Ethiopia is based off our proven and impactful SERniña model and curriculum. All workshops in Ethiopia were led by local men and women who had

previously graduate from Canadian Humanitarian’s centers. In the pilot year, over 50 children participated from four different urban communities. It was a resounding success and we look forward to growing our work in Ethiopia in partnership with Canadian Humanitarian.

2021 Impact In Numbers

Children participated in our “Blooming in Freedom”

Women participated in our programs in 2021 400 150

Individual therapy sessions provided

Youth completed our online SERelCambio program

Individuals participated in our whole-family support program

Survivors of violence received comprehensive support

What we look forward to in 2022…

500

1,200

Reached participants

480

Children enrolled in our “Blooming in Freedom”

Deepening our incorporation of Mayan Healing & Cosmovision Methodologies and Practices

Reached children in Peten by launching the digital roll out of our “Blooming in Freedom” on the RACHEL platform

Increasing Restorative Justice Work throughout our community partners

Launching the second-year of our “Blooming in Freedom” Program to cover our SERlideresa and SERlider programs

Wrapping up our “Whole Family Approach” Pilot Program in El Hato, and working with the community to develop continued initiatives

REALgirl and SERniña is built on the foundation of partnerships:

• All of our workshops and programs are run in partnership with local schools and non profits

• We collaborate with local organizations and projects to develop our programs and curriculum, and support the development and progress of their programs

• We work with government agencies to ensure compliance and increase our reach to the most marginalized communities

Current Implementing Educational Partners