FOMMA is a group of indigenous Mayan women who have organized to help poor women and children who immigrate from their rural communities to the city, where they face problems with marginalization, exploitative working conditions, adapting to their new environment, and physical and mental health. Immigration to the city is often a function of the low intensity warfare that is being carried out in their rural communities. FOMMA works to promote women’s rights, improve their living conditions, provide mental health assistance, and enhance their self-esteem. It provides a number of workshops for its members on sewing, weaving, theater, dance, health, and literacy, all of which are intended to help women live in the city with fewer problems.

The Martín-Baró Fund will be providing funds to support the development of a popular theater program whereby the women, via collective workshops, will write, produce, and perform plays about their lives and experiences. Through the development and preparation of these plays, the women are expected to gain some mastery over their difficulties, become more conscious of their abilities, become more aware of their rights and acquire the self-confidence to defend their rights and, as a result, experience improved mental health.