Partner Perspectives: Site Visits in Guatemala

Presentation with Asociación Manos Abiertas

Founded in 2008, Asociación Manos Abiertas (AMA) delivers holistic, rights-based reproductive healthcare to vulnerable populations in Guatemala. AMA has grown to employ an all-women team of midwives and nurses, many of whom are of Mayan descent. Often, AMA staff are the first in their families to complete a formal education; some have achieved this while working at Manos.

During the webinar, we learned more about our Senior Analyst, Hannah Evan’s, site visit to AMA’s headquarters. Hannah shared testimonials from interviews with AMA staff that shed light on reproductive health care challenges faced by Guatemalan women. AMA’s Executive Director, Diana Friewald, further explored the organization’s programs. Additionally, she emphasized the significance of midwives in delivering compassionate and high-quality care. We concluded with a Q&A session, during which Hannah and Diana answered questions submitted by audience members.

Date: October 15th, 2025

Hannah Evans, Senior Analyst, Population Connection

Hannah works as a Senior Analyst at Population Connection, where she focuses on public speaking and the development of open-source, academic-style resources. She also cultivates partnerships between Population Connection and international NGOs.

Before joining Population Connection’s staff, Hannah worked as an adjunct professor of Women’s Studies and taught classes on gender, science, and feminist theory. She has non-profit experience working as a program developer for sustainable agriculture and public health programs in Honduras and Panama and has worked as a researcher studying food security issues throughout Southern California.

Hannah holds a BA in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Conservation and Political Science and a Master’s in Political Ecology from San Diego State University, where her research focused on sustainability labeling and ethical consumption between the United States and Nicaragua.

Diana Freiwald, Executive Director, Asociación Manos Abiertas

Diana Freiwald is a passionate and dedicated midwife and the Executive Director of Asociación Manos Abiertas. She is committed to advancing sexual and reproductive rights and healthcare within the humanitarian and non-profit sectors.

With a deep connection to her homeland, Guatemala, Diana is driven by a mission to create better, more humanized experiences for women throughout. Her extensive experience in midwifery, combined with a strong dedication to advocacy and community service, empowers her to make a tangible difference in the lives of women. Diana strives to ensure that every woman has access to comprehensive care and the knowledge to make informed choices about their reproductive health.

Site Visit with Manos Abiertas – Presented by Hannah Evans

 

Q&A

Questions from the audience, with responses from Diana Freiwald, Executive Director

How does AMA evaluate “high risk pregnancies” and what do you do to help them have safe, dignified pregnancies and deliveries?
Response from Diana: We provide rigorous care and prenatal screening (as far a the women can afford it and up to what we can provide in clinic, so we test for a lot of routine tests and request others to labs but those are often expensive) and we refer out cases where c-section is unavoidable or we co mange with an OBGYN if the midwives deem it necessary. So for example we will refer out someone with placenta previa but would comanage someone with an uncontrolled diabetes.

Do you provide contraceptives or birthing classes?
Response from Diana: We do provide contraceptives and have self guided prenatal course available but we are considering implementing an in person course.