Kateri Tekakwitha Mission Fund supports education for Indigenous women in Guatemala

The Kateri Tekakwitha Mission Fund pays for schooling and professional training to help Indigenous women in Guatemala secure apprenticeships and employment. The organization was founded in 1997 by Kay Sweeney, a retired schoolteacher and PBVM Associate, to address the fact that Indigenous women in the region complete an average of only three years of schooling.

Sweeney established the fund after moving from the United States to Guatemala to assist Tonia Orland, PBVM, with a community for Indigenous women religious. While there, Sweeney began supporting young women who left the religious community after discerning they did not have a vocation. The program has since expanded from providing school tuition to offering professional training, assistance with job applications, and financial support during apprenticeships.

Sweeney has since returned to the United States to continue fundraising and counseling, while program graduates now manage the administration of the fund. The Kateri Tekakwitha Mission Fund is a BVM Ministry Partner and receives support from the Sisters of Charity, BVM.