Relocate Dona Rosa to a safe place
Donation protected
Widow and children of man burnt alive for witchcraft are being threatened and need help to move to a safe place.
What happened
Two weeks ago, on the 6th of June 2020, Domingo Choc Che, a traditional Maya healer and one of the collaborators on my current project at university, was brutally murdered by a crowd in his hometown, Chimay, in Guatemala. He was burned alive for witchcraft (see https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/10/guatemalan-maya-spiritual-guide-tortured-burned-alive). It was a horrific crime, driven not only by ignorance, but a more deeper and scary disregard for indigenous lives and traditional belief systems which is systematic in many countries, but especially in Guatemala.
He leaves behind his wife, Rosa Guegue Caal and 8 children, six of which underage. Dona Rosa still lives in Chimay where she is being the target of intimidation from the same crowd that killed her husband. The ACGERS Maya Council of Elders, one of our research partners, to which Don Domingo belonged, is trying to relocate her and her family to a new home in a safer area but they do not have the funds to purchase a property, which costs around 8000 GBP. The ACGERS Council is raising money in Guatemala to purchase a house for her, with a small plot of land for subsistence, similarly to the one she lives in at the moment (see picture below).
My involvement
I did not know Domingo and Rosa personally, we only met last year during my visit to the research field in the Peten. Having met the person that was victim of such absurd atrocity shocked me deeply and made me feel a lot more responsible for not taking any action. The problem is deeply rooted in society but even helping one household find a safer haven, seemed like a good start. I cannot bring a casserole or offer physical and psychological support but I am trying to help this cause however I can and I thought that my biggest advantage was that my connections are in a much wealthier part of the world.
The appeal
So here is this crowdfunding page; please, if you can, donate to help relocating Dona Rosa and her family to a safer place. I set the target low, because every little helps, but ideally I would want to raise 3000 GBP through this page, so even if the target has already been met, please do not restrain yourself!
She needs to move as soon as possible.
Donations management
The donations in this case are paid into my personal bank account and, as the target is reached, I will send the funds to the ACGERS Council in Guatemala, that is handling the matter on site, keeping records and transaction numbers of donations coming from different sources. As donors, you will receive updates on Dona Rosa's situation and will be notified when the property is purchased; in addition, we will forward pictures of the new place and proof of transfer of funds from the ACGERS Council account to Rosa.
THANK YOU FOR CARING!
From the left, Domingo, Rosa and two of their daughters, in their house in Chimay.
What happened
Two weeks ago, on the 6th of June 2020, Domingo Choc Che, a traditional Maya healer and one of the collaborators on my current project at university, was brutally murdered by a crowd in his hometown, Chimay, in Guatemala. He was burned alive for witchcraft (see https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/10/guatemalan-maya-spiritual-guide-tortured-burned-alive). It was a horrific crime, driven not only by ignorance, but a more deeper and scary disregard for indigenous lives and traditional belief systems which is systematic in many countries, but especially in Guatemala.
He leaves behind his wife, Rosa Guegue Caal and 8 children, six of which underage. Dona Rosa still lives in Chimay where she is being the target of intimidation from the same crowd that killed her husband. The ACGERS Maya Council of Elders, one of our research partners, to which Don Domingo belonged, is trying to relocate her and her family to a new home in a safer area but they do not have the funds to purchase a property, which costs around 8000 GBP. The ACGERS Council is raising money in Guatemala to purchase a house for her, with a small plot of land for subsistence, similarly to the one she lives in at the moment (see picture below).
My involvement
I did not know Domingo and Rosa personally, we only met last year during my visit to the research field in the Peten. Having met the person that was victim of such absurd atrocity shocked me deeply and made me feel a lot more responsible for not taking any action. The problem is deeply rooted in society but even helping one household find a safer haven, seemed like a good start. I cannot bring a casserole or offer physical and psychological support but I am trying to help this cause however I can and I thought that my biggest advantage was that my connections are in a much wealthier part of the world.
The appeal
So here is this crowdfunding page; please, if you can, donate to help relocating Dona Rosa and her family to a safer place. I set the target low, because every little helps, but ideally I would want to raise 3000 GBP through this page, so even if the target has already been met, please do not restrain yourself!
She needs to move as soon as possible.
Donations management
The donations in this case are paid into my personal bank account and, as the target is reached, I will send the funds to the ACGERS Council in Guatemala, that is handling the matter on site, keeping records and transaction numbers of donations coming from different sources. As donors, you will receive updates on Dona Rosa's situation and will be notified when the property is purchased; in addition, we will forward pictures of the new place and proof of transfer of funds from the ACGERS Council account to Rosa.
THANK YOU FOR CARING!
From the left, Domingo, Rosa and two of their daughters, in their house in Chimay.Organizer
Francesca Scotti
Organizer
