SILVER SPRING Md.--On October 25, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) concluded a one-year project to empower indigenous Mapuche women in southern Chile through social and economic integration, the agency announced.

This initiative, called "Pu Mapuche Zomo, Ni Txemun-Chilkan Inapewma" in the Mapuche language, Mapudungun, or "Following the Mapuche Women's Integral Development Dream," targeted 200 women from 12 predominantly Mapuche communities in five communes in the Araucania Region, including Villarrica, Volcan, Ercilla, Traiguen, and Chol Chol.

Attending the closing ceremony held in the city of Temuco, Jose Antonio Viera-Gallo, special minister for the Presidency, highlighted this project as an important collaboration between ADRA, local mayors, and the Chilean government, because of its goal to improve the quality of life of Mapuche women.

"We would like to see Mapuche women as a central protagonist of the destiny of the [Chilean] nation," said Viera-Gallo.

This project benefitted women of the Mapuche ethnic minority because they are often marginalized from society, lack educational opportunities and understanding of their civil rights. For this reason, the program focused on improving self-esteem, raising awareness on issues relating to domestic and gender violence, and teaching them about gender equality and women empowerment.

To help participants reach their educational and vocational goals, ADRA signed an agreement with five entities, including the Ministry of Education, the National Service of Training and Employment (SENCE), the National Corporation for Indigenous Development (CONADI), the National Service for Women (SERNAM), and Forestal Mininco, one of Chile's largest producers of wood and paper products.

Through these partnerships, beneficiaries received educational materials, free certification, academic scholarships, and access to occupational networks to give them better access to new jobs . Participants also benefited from skill-based training modules, and gained technical knowledge regarding their vocational abilities, as well as their rights as women.

ADRA focused this project in an area of Chile with a large Mapuche population. Since pre-Columbian times, the Mapuche have thrived in the lands they historically inhabited in Central and Southern Chile and Argentina. However, in recent decades economic and social conditions for these indigenous communities have not improved in comparison to the rest of Chilean society. This has resulted in higher rates of poverty, infant mortality, unemployment, and illiteracy.

ADRA has been working in Chile since 1958 primarily in emergency management, education, economic development, women empowerment, and the protection of vulnerable children's rights.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.