Networks of change: How indigenous adolescent girls in Costa Rica are rewriting their story through solidarity and health

"Being an empowered woman means having confidence, strength, and the desire to succeed," explains Ericka, an Indigenous adolescent from the rural Kabebata High School in Alto Quetzal, a community located in a mountainous area four hours from the Costa Rican capital. In this region, where the Cabécar culture predominates – one of the eight Indigenous cultures in the country – Ericka, her classmate Crystel, and Cindy, the school's surveillance officer, agree that women have never been protagonists, and have instead been historically relegated to the role of supporting men.

— December 2024 —

"In the Cabécar culture, it was always believed that women cannot succeed. Men come first because they are the ones who work, and women have to look after them," explains Cindy, who, as a mother, has taught her daughters that this pattern "does not have to be this way."

Crystel, barely 19 years old, emphasizes that it's time to break down these barriers, to challenge machismo and violence against women: "Just because we live in an Indigenous area doesn't mean we have to follow the rules of the past. Women can succeed," she asserts.

This shift in mindset is not accidental. Ericka, Crystel, and Cindy are part of a group of over 150 women who have participated in the Support Networks for Indigenous Adolescent Women (Redes RIMA) project, an initiative developed in 2021 by Costa Rican Ministry of Health’s Technical Secretariat for Mental Health, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

In one dynamic, Ericka and Crystel talk about their emotions as they build a network, which represents the support network they have created with their peers. — Ericka and Crystel talk about their emotions as they build a network, which represents the support network they have created with their peers.

Focused on empowering women in nine of the country's 24 Indigenous territories, the project emerged as a response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, but went beyond the immediate crisis by addressing a longstanding issue: the invisibility of Cabécar women.

Karen Méndez, a counselor at the Rural Kabebata High School, explains that "the pandemic highlighted a need that has existed for many years: the need to work on the culture of silence that predominates among Cabécar women." In response, a training program was developed for local facilitators, who received methodological tools to create work plans focused on the needs of young women in each community.

Through workshops and training activities, the topics covered included emotion management, female empowerment, sisterhood, self-care – with an emphasis on mental health – and the development of a life project.

The results of this project, which seek to improve both health and gender equity, have also included the promotion of vaccination, as part of a joint effort between PAHO and the Improving Equitable Access and Vaccination Coverage against COVID-19 project, funded by the Canadian government.

"Working with PAHO, we see that global health goes hand in hand with gender equality," emphasizes the Canadian Ambassador to Costa Rica, Ioanna Sahas Martin, highlighting that this approach reflects Canada's international assistance policy, which has been supporting projects to empower women in vulnerable communities.

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For the participants, the learnings have been invaluable, but what they highlight most is the impact on empowerment and solidarity among women (sisterhood). "This project helped us to see that we are capable of doing anything and that we can succeed," says Crystel, who at first found it difficult to interact with other women, but over time learned to trust her peers and support each other.

The first results of Redes RIMA are already visible in the schools, where the female students have begun to take on leadership roles and participate actively in sports, contests, and extracurricular activities. Karen, the counselor, is proud of their progress: "This year we have seen the science fair led by girls from the project. In football, they reached the final and, for the first time, we have a student government led by a woman."

PAHO highlights two fundamental elements in ensuring the success of the project: the empowerment of communities and sustainability. Alfonso Tenorio, PAHO Representative in Costa Rica, explains communities taking ownership has been key, as it enabled them to define the topics to be addressed according to their own interests, needs, and cultural characteristics. In addition, he emphasizes that, "communities have committed to maintaining the project and expanding it with their own means," supported by local facilitators who hold key positions, as is the case in Alto Quetzal, where Cindy and Karen work in the Ministry of Public Education at the local school.

The ability of the participants to share what they have learned with other people in the community has also been fundamental. "The message doesn't stay in the school, the girls share it with their grandparents, uncles, aunts, sisters, and friends," says Cindy. This exchange of knowledge and empowerment not only transforms the lives of young women but also generates a cultural shift that respects traditions but promotes gender equity.

Mauren Sánchez, one of the young artists participating in the project, has captured this transformation in her drawings, which are currently on display at the offices of the European Union Delegation in Costa Rica. In her work, Mauren reflects how she and her peers have become agents of change by promoting empowerment and solidarity.

"Through my art, I want to pay tribute to the history of Cabécar women, recognizing the strength that being a woman in an Indigenous area represents, and transmitting a message of respect, admiration, and sisterhood," explains the young artist.

Mauren's message and her art not only reflect the results of a project that is improving the quality of life of young women but also illustrate the tangible impact of technical cooperation on everyday life, transforming communities and empowering women to be protagonists of their own story.

Huellas de manos pintadas sobre papel con mensajes

Costa Rica

Adolescent Health

Gender Equality in Health

Health Promotion