Champion of Change

Soon after graduating from college, Ana Moraga moved from her home in the U.S. to Guatemala City to help women sex workers recover their dignity and self-esteem through literacy and vocational training. Seven years later, this courageous women’s rights advocate and International Youth Foundation (IYF) Fellow has been honored by President Obama's Administration as a “Champion of Change.”
In 2007, Ms. Moraga was selected by IYF as one of its Global YouthActionNet® Fellows in 2007 for her role in founding MuJER - Mujeres por la Justicia, Educación y el Reconocimiento (Women for Justice Education and Awareness). Its mission: to develop spaces of empowerment for women to become socially and politically active through programs that range from literacy and vocational training to violence prevention.
Since its founding, MuJER has created a multifaceted support system for over 500 women sex workers throughout Guatemala.
“We recognize that these women are agents of social change, not just beneficiaries,” said Ms. Moraga, who emigrated with her family to the U.S. from Guatemala as a teenager.
Ms. Moraga is one of nearly 600 youth leaders in 57 countries to have received specialized training, networking, funding, and advocacy opportunities through YouthActionNet® since its founding in 2001.
The Champions of Change program was created as part of President Obama’s Winning the Future Initiative, which recognizes groups of Champions – ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders – for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.