Enduring Foundations
Source: Almomento Noticias
With the $1.2 million cash prize from the Nobel, Menchú founded several organizations, which bring aid to Guatemalans in need and solidify her legacy as a human rights activist and indigenous advocate. One of the most prominent is the Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation. |
The Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation's Mission and Vision statements; Source: Fundación Rigoberta Menchú Tum
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"[The Rigoberta Menchú Tum Foundation] provides healthcare, housing, urban planning, and aid for agricultural production. The foundation also strives to unify different groups of indigenous people and to promote mutual cooperation and reflection on values...Thirty-one medical clinics have opened to provide healthcare to those in need."
-Sharon Sando, Mike Anderson, Gilliane Mansfeldt, Dana Christoph, Mike Smith; "Rigoberta Menchú Tum"
Promoting education for Mayan children; Source: Fundación Rigoberta Menchú Tum, 2010
"Among its [the foundation's] activities are the translation of important legal documents into K'iche', greater educational opportunities for indigenous children (including the construction of a school in Chimel), and efforts to hold those accountable who committed atrocities against Guatemala."
-Heather Lehr Wagner; Modern Peacemakers: Rigoberta Menchú Tum
Menchú is also the president of
Salud Para Todos [Health for All] and Farmacias Similares, a company and drug store chain which aim "to offer affordable generic medicines to indigenous people in Guatemala." ("Rigoberta Menchú Tum - 1992 Guatemala", NobelWomensInitiative.org)
Rigoberta Menchú at her presentation of her new drug store chain, Farmacias Similares; Source: AP Images, 2003