05/06/2026
Meet Mariela.
Mariela Licuy is 36 years old, a mother of four — from an 18-year-old son to a 9-month-old daughter — and serves as the Vice President of Shandia. As one of the few women in community leadership, her work has always centered on the wellbeing of the women and children around her.
It's no surprise she found her way to Mamitas.
Within the program, Mariela is the kind of presence that makes other mothers show up. She encourages participation, reminds women that their health and their children's health are worth prioritizing, and leads by example in a community where women in leadership roles are still rare.
Mariela believes the program works best when it goes both ways. "If the community shows effort and initiative," she says, the impact grows — for the mothers, for their children, and for Shandia as a whole. It's a philosophy she lives out every time she shows up, encourages another mother to do the same, and steps into a leadership role that makes the program more rooted in the community it serves.
She was recently selected to train as a Peer Champion — learning to carry out home visits and bring individualized health support directly to mothers in Shandia who need it most. Mariela has been showing up for the women and children of Shandia for years. Mamitas is just the newest way she's doing it.
This Mother's Day, your support helps women like Mariela extend that impact even further! Link in bio to sponsor a Mamita.
