A journey from fear to healing
How ABBA’s iconic song is bringing hope to girls in Guatemala
High in the green mountains of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, 13-year-old Mercedes* dreams of becoming a lawyer. Not just any lawyer. She wants to defend women and girls who have faced violence and injustice.
“I want to help other girls like me,” she says quietly, her eyes steady.
Mercedes loves the colour purple. To her, it represents strength and dignity. Qualities she has had to find within herself far sooner than most children.
When life changed
Not long ago, Mercedes’ life changed dramatically.
A gang member in her community began targeting her. At first, it was harassment in the streets. Then, threatening messages and constant stalking. Soon, he was waiting outside her school, watching her.
Fear replaced the joy she once felt going to class and playing with friends. For her safety, Mercedes stopped attending school and stayed at home, isolated from her studies and her dreams.
One rainy day, the harassment escalated into sexual violence.
What happened left deep physical and emotional wounds. Struggling to make sense of it, Mercedes cut her long hair short as a way of regaining a sense of control over her own body and identity.
A turning point
Mercedes’ story did not end there.
Through a UNICEF violence-prevention workshop organized in her community together with the local partner Association of Friends for Development and Peace (ADP), UNICEF teams identified Mercedes and recognized that she needed urgent support.
These workshops create safe spaces where children and adolescents learn about their rights, how to identify harassment and violence, and where to seek help.
“When we met Mercedes, we could see the pain she was carrying. Psychosocial support helps children heal not only visible wounds but also rebuild confidence and resilience.”
With support from UNICEF, Mercedes and her family began individual and family therapy sessions. Slowly, she started to process the trauma and rebuild her self-esteem.
Music turning into hope
This work has been made possible in part thanks to special funding from ABBA, generated through royalties from their iconic song “Chiquitita.”
The song, written decades ago about finding strength after sadness, now supports programmes that protect girls facing violence.
In communities across Guatemala, these funds help UNICEF organize prevention workshops, identify children at risk, and provide psychological care, protection services and support to return to school.
Over the past two years alone:
- More than 42,000 children have been reached with violence-prevention messages.
- Over 400 child survivors of sexual violence have received specialized psychosocial support and assistance to continue their education.
Returning to her dreams
For Mercedes, the support has been life-changing. With help from UNICEF and its partners, she has returned to school in a safer environment. She studies hard and continues to hold onto her dream of becoming a lawyer.
UNICEF/UNI925064/Sergio Izquierdo
"I want to defend girls and women who go through what I went through,"
Mercedes says with determination.
Her short hair, once a reminder of one of the hardest moments of her life, has become a symbol of resilience.
Today, Mercedes is rebuilding her confidence, reconnecting with her dreams and looking ahead. Her journey of healing continues, but hope has returned.
And thanks to the power of music, and the support of partners like ABBA, more girls like Mercedes can access the protection and support they need.
Because sometimes a song is more than music. It can help change a life.
*Name changed for protection purposes
