Martha Lidia Oxi Chuy

Co-Executive Director of MAIA Impact School, Guatemala

Washington, D.C. Panel Member

Lidia is Maya-Kaqchikel, Co-Executive Director of MAIA, the only organization in Guatemala designed and led by indigenous women serving Maya communities. She has designed and implemented culturally attuned, high-impact projects focusing on the education and support of girls, fundraising and developing strategic partnerships. She is a member of the OYW Indigenous Council, Global Council of Community Centric Fundraising (CCF), Coordination Council of Hub Guatemala, and the Board of Directors of the Maya Economic Development Corporation, Women's Justice Initiative and president of Mujeres Liderando Guatemala. She is a fellow of the Vital Voices Engage Program, Gratitude Network, and Global Governance Forum. 

Lidia is passionate about education, sustainable development, indigenous rights, and gender equality. In 2020, in response to COVID-19, she led the design and implementation of an organic garden project to address food security. This project, which integrates girls’ education and environmental stewardship, helped propel MAIA as the National 2020 winner of the Energy Globe Award for Guatemala. She is the MAIA team lead for the MIT-SOLVE 2020 Global Challenges in the Learning for Girls and Women category with the project Amplify her Voice: Empowering Mayan Girls to break through Guatemala’s indigenous talent gap using education and technology.

Lidia’s national and international experience and fluency in four languages: Kaqchikel, Spanish, English and Chinese, Mandarin allow her to build strategic partnerships to reduce inequality and proactively advocate for Maya communities.