Donate to raise awareness about mental health in our Maya communities!

Our Communities

Our Maya weavers have faced many adverse challenges in their lives, many of which may have caused severe trauma. Reasons range from the recent Civil War (1960~1996), where many lost family and friends, as well as intergenerational neocolonial discrimination and poverty. Additionally, the ongoing Corona pandemic has cost many lives in our communities and adversely affected many aspects of ongoing life. 

Unfortunately, mental health services and assistance remain one of the most inaccessible and stigmatized forms of healthcare in Guatemala, and in the Maya communities in particular. Aware of this shortcoming, Trama Textiles is trying to initiate a change with our Almaya Fund!

The Almaya is a sister organization to Trama Textiles, founded in 2019, that focuses on supporting access to necessary healthcare and education services for the families of Trama Textiles’ communities. In this case: mental health workshops. 

Xochitl Sandoval (Ze/Zir)

Xochitl Sandoval is a Indigenous-rooted, practicing counselor in the United States, whose relevant work focuses on identity and trauma counseling through anti oppressive practice, decolonization, and integration. 

In early January, Xochitl Sandoval will be traveling to Guatemala with the express purpose of offering their services to help our communities. We have planned day-long group workshops to occur in each of these communities with additional supplementary resources on continual care. We seek to reach XX women in X communities who are most in need and receptive to counseling. 

Ultimately, our goal is to initiate a practice in collective healing - an ongoing, self-sustaining discourse of support driven by our communities. 

Our Donors

In order to realize this goal, we need your help!

Our donors will be updated on Sandoval’s arrival and be given photograph updates from each community. Donor names, should they be given, will be shared with Sandoval and the members ze work with so they can be included in thanks. 

Where your Donations will go: 

The counselor will not be compensated financially but to enable her to travel to Guatemala and to stay there for 14 days,
we would need to cover the following costs:

Total costs that need to be covered

$950

$50

$10 per night Total: $140

$5 per meal Total: $210

$150

$1,500

Airfare from the US to/back from Guatemala

Transportation to/back from our local communities

Accommodation in our local communities

Food and beverages

As a sign of gratitude, our weavers would like to gift a handmade Huipil (traditional blouse) to Xochitl

Help us make mental health accessible in our Indigenous communities with a donation!