A violent attack by would-be robbers led Bolivian Lidia Maita to the martial art of taekwondo. Three years later, she is helping train other indigenous women to protect themselves from rampant gender-based violence in the South American country.
Mayta said she would have died if her neighbors hadn't come out of her house and scared her as the assailants strangled her outside her front door after trying to steal her wallet. Talk about deaf.
After the attack, she vowed never to feel so helpless again.
She attended a women's-only class at Warmy Power Taekwondo Studio in El Alto, Bolivia's second largest city. Warumi means “woman” in the indigenous Quechua language.
Her enthusiasm was so strong that the founders immediately asked her to join their training team, specifically to help translate instructions into Aymara, Bolivia's other indigenous language.
“I didn't know how to protect myself. Now I'm trying to help other women eliminate that fear,” said the 56-year-old shopkeeper and community health secretary.
“This is violence prevention work.”
According to government data, eight out of 10 women and girls in Bolivia experience physical violence at least once in their lifetime.
“This is a violent country for women,” said Lucia Vargas, director of the advocacy group Women's Coordinator.
In 2023, more than 51,000 women were reported to have been victims of violence. In most cases her husband or partner was the perpetrator.
Warmi Power was founded in 2015 by Taekwondo black belts Laura Roca and Kimberly Nosa.
“Violence cannot be solved with violence, but learning how to protect yourself can save lives,” said Nosa, who has been practicing martial arts for 18 years.
Roca, a trained psychologist, said he took up the training despite his father's insistence that it was a male prerogative.
Together, they have trained more than 35,000 women across the country.
In the El Alto class, most of the women are indigenous and engaged in informal trade.