In the western highlands of guatemala, where many residents struggle to earn a living through subsistence farming, women have historically had less access to income-generating and leadership…

In the western highlands of guatemala, where many residents struggle to earn a living through subsistence farming, women have historically had less access to income-generating and leadership opportunities. At the IAF, we support community-led approaches to creating economic opportunity and fostering women's empowerment. The asociación DE mujeres RÍO isquizal (AMRIS) is an association of MAM indigenous women that has developed a solidarity network in 15 communities across the municipality of SAN sebastian huehuetenango. In this grant, AMRIS will strengthen food security at the household level and increase women's incomes by providing training, technical assistance, and access to credit for raising livestock and planting fruit trees. This will ultimately cultivate resilience in their families and communities, and address factors that drive many to migrate from this high-sending region. AMRIS will also develop women's leadership skills through workshops on leadership, human rights, civic participation, gender, health, and nutrition. This grant is part of the IAF's efforts to address the root causes of irregular migration in central america and part of the IAF's women investing in growth and security (WINGS) initiative to empower women as business and community leaders.