María Olga González Palacios is a clinical psychologist with a postgraduate degree in the study of human behavior and a master's degree in human resources. She works in psychological support in the social and labor field, mostly with vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents and women, around issues of empowerment, employment, education, entrepreneurship and psychosocial skills. She is the founder of Tera Group, a company that promotes mental health and social support in Guatemala. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Weaving Healthy Futures

The project raised awareness among parents about the importance of early learning in childhood development. Video tutorials were created covering the instructions for adequate stimulation in young children and were made available to parents and guardians via a QR code. A total of 536 parents viewed or downloaded the material, and an additional 1,836 parents were reached through therapists using the video tutorials in schools for children under the age of three.

María Olga was also a panelist for the IVLP Impact Awards Alumni Discussion Series panel on “Global Public Health,” which you can read more about here.

IVLP Exchange Experience 

María Olga participated in the IVLP Project Women as Drivers of Social and Economic Change, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Cultural Vistas, in partnership with World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth, Gulf Coast Diplomacy, International Institute of Wisconsin, and WorldBoston.

María Olga's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "During the IVLP experience in Pensacola, Florida, we were able to visit the Studer Community Institute where I was able to learn from the mental health field how the focus on early stimulation can lead a community to highly successful development."

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Pensacola, FL; Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; Milwaukee, WI

Country: Guatemala

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