Our Story

​Canadian teacher Danielle Skogen had been living in Guatemala for 3 years when she noticed a need for a program to address the unique and challenging needs for adolescent girls of Guatemala.
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Through her time as a Program Manager for an education focused NGO, Danielle met many inspiring young girls. They were smart. They were determined. They were passionate. But, sadly, every year, she saw these young girls drop out of school and abandon their goals and aspirations.
 
After conversations with Social Workers, Psychologists, Teachers and Mothers, it became very clear that though Guatemala is moving forward, lack of programming to explicitly address the needs of girls was missing. This was  holding back schools, communities and the country.

Despite their intelligence and drive, girls often did not learn the skills needed to overcome the obstacles that hindered their empowerment. Even when taught these skills, girls often lacked the confidence and self-agency to apply them in their everyday life.
 
Though there exist countless, wonderful organizations in Guatemala focused on education and health, many did not recognize the need or possess the resources and knowledge to fully support their girls. So many of them were continually faced with the same issues: high drop-out rates among girls, teenage pregnant and risky sexual behaviour, and girls entering into unhealthy relationships and becoming victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

SERniña was created to address this rampant need. SERniña is not its own school, nor an independent program. Instead, it is a support program to provide pre-existing educational organizations with its expertise and services, so educational organizations of Guatemala can fully support the girls in their programs.
 
In late 2015, Danielle reached out to Anea Bogue, Self-Esteem Expert and Founder of REALgirl Empowerment Programs. With matching missions, visions and the same fierce passion for the empowerment of all girls, they decided to come together. Now, SERniña is a branch of the larger REALgirl Program.
 
Having already worked with thousands of girls worldwide, Anea and the REALgirl team provide SERniña with researched-based curricula and proven program modules.
 
Although a young organization, SERniña has already provided over 400 hours of their ground-breaking workshops to over 180 girls, and we are growing everyday.