Our Programs

We are proud to offer diverse and customized programs to address the varying needs of our participants and community partners. All our programs are led by our highly trained team of specialized staff including educators, psychologists, therapists, and social workers.

Workshop Programs

Recognizing that the girls we serve do not live in a bubble, whenever possible, we strive to offer comprehensive year-long workshops to all family members of our children participants so they can work together to advocate for the rights of girls and women and advance gender equality. 

All workshops are led by our team of highly trained community facilitators, and our curriculum is one of the only equity and empowerment programs certified by the Guatemalan Ministry of Education. 

  • SERniña & SERlideresa

    Over the course of two years, girls dive deep into our year-long programs designed to tackle the critical issues that impact girls' self-esteem, safety, and overall empowerment. Through twelve interactive modules, girls participate in though-provoking discussions, engaging games and activities, and creative art projects that help them overcome obstacles and develop the life-skills and knowledge they need to make empowered and informed life choices. 

    Year 1 – SERniña (To Be A Girl)

    Year 2 – SERlideresa (To Be A Leader)

    Workshop topics include: critical thinking, using your voice, human rights, self-knowledge and personal identity, goal-setting and creating your own path, understanding and overcoming gender roles, puberty and menstrual health, bodily autonomy and consent, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health, creating healthy relationships, and violence prevention. 

    Workshops are held weekly over the course of the academic year onsite at local partner schools and in local community centers. 

  • SERniño & SERlider


    Our boys programs run in parity to our girls’ programs. Just like the girls, boys complete our curriculum over the course of two academic years, exploring customized version of our twelve core modules. 

    Our programs for boys have two main goals:

    1) To support boys in overcoming the obstacles they face in their daily lives and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to lead empowered lives and make informed life choices.


    2) To help boys understand the important role they play in the creation of gender equitable communities and the eradication of gender inequity, gender-based violence, and the disempowerment of girls and women. A key focus area is to support the development of empathy, emotional intelligence, tenderness, and healthy communication skills among boy participants.


    Year 1 – SERniño (To Be A Boy)

    Year 2 – SERlider (To Be A Leader)

    Workshops are held weekly over the course of the academic year onsite at local partner schools and in local community centers.  

  • We offer a full year workshop program to mothers and women in all of our community partners. The curriculum is based on our transformative SERniña/SERlideresa curriculum with customizations made to meet the daily realities of Guatemalan women and mothers, and ensure that each workshop directly caters to the unique obstacles and challenges they face in their daily lives. 

    Our program for mothers helps them not only make changes in their own lives, but also  better understand and support their children's empowerment journey and build emotionally-connected and socially-conscious families.

  • We run monthly, in-depth workshops for men, particularly fathers of SERniña participants. These workshops are designed to facilitate a transformation in men’s approach to gender roles and family relationships. Through a combination of reflective exercises, role-playing scenarios, and group discussions, fathers are encouraged to critically examine and unlearn harmful gender stereotypes and behaviors. They learn practical strategies for fostering open communication, emotional connection, and mutual respect within their families. With a focus on accountability and ongoing self-reflection, these workshops seek to guide fathers to actively model equitable, non-violent behaviors at home, which strengthens their relationship with their children and partners. The ultimate goal is to build families where every member thrives emotionally and socially, contributing to a broader culture of gender equity.

  • Recognizing the profound impact that schools and communities have on shaping the realities and potential of our participants, we actively engage educators and community leaders in our equity and empowerment initiatives. We collaborate with them to create safer and more equitable environments for the children and youth we serve. Several times a year, we offer full-day training sessions tailored to the specific needs of our partner communities. These workshops are designed in response to both the needs identified by our partners and the direct requests from schools. Previous training themes have included critical topics such as identifying and responding to domestic violence, challenging traditional gender roles, and providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education. Through these workshops, we equip educators and leaders with the tools and knowledge necessary to foster a supportive and inclusive environment.

  • SERelCambio

    After completing the first two years of the program, boys and girls come together to complete our ‘SERelCambio’ (Be The Change). SERelCambio is a leadership program designed to help our program graduates not only make changes in their own lives, but also step up as the agents of change in their community, able to lead the creation of safer and more equitable communities. 


    Feminism Lab & Masculinities Lab


    After completing SERelCambio, girls and boys can apply to be part of the advanced and in-depth “Lab” programs. These programs aim to dive deep into gender issues and further support and development the participants capacity and opportunity to lead change in their communities. These programs are co-created alongside the youth participants weaving in their ideas, solutions, and goals. During this program, participants implement community projects, lead advocacy work, and attend many conferences and field trips to support their real-world learning and growth. 

Additional Resources

Alongside our workshop programs, we also offer direct response and support services to participants and their families. These services were developed in response to ongoing requests from our participants and to address a critical need within our partner communities. By providing personalized support, we are better equipped to help participants overcome immediate challenges, ensuring that we are effectively advancing our mission of gender equity and empowerment.

  • We provide comprehensive support for participants and their families who have experienced violence, offering psychological, legal, and medical assistance. Our services include free violence response support to victims and their families, healing and restorative justice programs, group and individual therapy, and violence prevention and response training for community leaders. By increasing knowledge about healthy relationships, violence prevention, and available support routes, we aim to enhance feelings of safety, reduce harassment and domestic violence, and encourage greater reporting. 

  • We provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare to all our participants, so they can make informed decisions about their bodies and futures. In Guatemala, unwanted pregnancies remain a significant barrier for girls and women, and we believe that true empowerment starts with access to accurate information and healthcare. In addition to our workshops focused on consent, bodily autonomy, and sexual health, we also provide our participants with free access to sexual and reproductive healthcare through  partnerships with healthcare centers and organizations. Some of the services provided include free family planning consultations, free access to the contraception of their choosing, STI information and support, breast exams, cervical exams, and minor surgeries. Our goal is to increase knowledge, improve access to care, and reduce the rates of unwanted pregnancies, helping our participants lead empowered, autonomous lives.

  • “REALgirl really helped me come out of my shell. You learn so many amazing and great things that you probably  will never learn if you haven't gone to this program. I just graduated from REALgirl and I'm really glad I went. I  made new friends and learned to be myself and not change for anyone. It is a great experience that every mom,  teen, or young girl needs to see."

    - REALgirl Program Participant

  • “My 15-year-old daughter loved the program. From the first day, I noticed a difference in her mindset and energy. She returned home at peace, talkative (to me!) and genuinely interested in  sharing her time with you and the other girls. Although I did not get all the details, she felt it was worth every minute of her time there and had difficulty leaving the last day. I know she left the program with a great deal of new insight. A big heartfelt Thank You!”

    – Mother of Participant

  • "REALgirl has been working in our school for 5 years and for the first time since our school opened we have seen real change in the teen pregnancy rates. In fact, over the past few years, we have no pregnancies. It is very clear this change is from REALgirl."

    - Principle at REALgirl Partner School

  • "One of the major changes I have seen since the launch of REALgirl'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 teh past few weeks, four women have asked REALgirls' support in accessing reproductive healthcare and over 20 women have asked to attend literacy courses."

    - Mayan Therapist and Healer

  • "Coming to the mother's workshops at REALgirl and getting the support of t he REALgirl therapist has changed my life. It is truly the first time I have felt safe to open up, or like anyone was listening or cared. Since joining REALgirl, I have realized how much anger I have been carrying with me. I was so angry everyday. 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 REALgirl 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 has made 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 children.

    - REALgirl Mother Support Participant

  • “Being in the SERniño programs has been a healthy space for me and my family. I always try to share what I have learned (in the workshops) with them. Not only about gender stereotypes but also that we can transform the ways of living together and sharing life.

    One of the most difficult things to change is to abandon the thought that I am superior to women. It is something I have been taught my entire life since I was a child. For a long time, when I played soccer or ran in races, I could not imagine a woman being able to do those things better than me. But that is a part of me, and my thinking, I have changed, and will continue to change.”

    - Juan Jesus, Boys Program Participant, 2023

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