Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is happening in many forms. It is not exclusively because of those who hold positions of power – it can come from anyone, anywhere, who takes even one step toward building a more sustainable future. I saw this first-hand in Guatemala, where I was proud to see the extraordinary work of individuals striving to improve life for their families, communities, and country.

 Señora Antonia Batz is one of these individuals. Standing just over five feet tall, she has an air of confidence and strength that makes her a presence in any room. And she carries it well: Antonia leads a community of midwives in the San Carlos community outside of Tecpán, Guatemala, where she provides pre- and post-natal health care and ensures safe childbirth for local women who have little access to a health clinic.

“I have the gift of being a midwife,” said Antonia, who began her career more than 15 years ago after she saw the needs of women in her community and decided she wanted to “fight for indigenous women.”

This post is part of the “SDG Solutions” series hosted by the United Nations Foundation, Global Daily, and +SocialGood to raise awareness of ways the international community can advance, and is advancing, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. As the international community prepares to gather at the UN for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development from July 10-19, this series will share ideas and examples of action. Previous posts in the series can be found here.