As a Nicaraguan, I grew up in a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country with a large Indigenous population. English and French were the mandatory languages in public and private schools during my school years. Sadly, we were never taught our Indigenous languages, not even simple phrases like “good morning” or “thank you,” showing a lack of attention to preserving Indigenous languages.

Linguistic discrimination and lack of Indigenous language teaching is still prevalent in classrooms across Central America. Our native languages are disappearing, causing us to lose an integral part of our national heritage. Every 14 days, one of the 7,000 known languages spoken worldwide dies. By the end of this century, half of these languages will disappear.

Language bias also has negative impacts on children’s development. Numerous studies indicate that students not educated in their native languages tend to have lower learning outcomes than those who receive instruction in their mother tongues. Conversely, using a well-mastered language significantly enhances learning, particularly reading comprehension. Bilingual education also helps preserve cultural heritage and creates a bridge between the ancestral wisdom of Indigenous peoples and the global community of the 21st century, opening the doors to future opportunities within the Indigenous communities and beyond. Additionally, it contributes to community engagement in children’s education.

The Intersection of Nutrition and Indigenous Language Access

Global Communities, where I currently work, has been implementing the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (MGD) programs across Central America and Africa for over 20 years. Our programs, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), provide daily nutritious meals to school-age children and take a multidisciplinary approach to improving students’ nutritional and learning outcomes. Where feasible, they integrate bilingual education to ensure that children learn to read and write effectively and to preserve Indigenous languages.

In Guatemala, for example, where 25 Indigenous languages are spoken, our UNIDOS (“United” in Spanish) project has been a beacon of hope since 2021. Implemented across 450 preschools and primary schools in the departments of Huehuetenango and Quiche, UNIDOS supports students with daily meals, school supplies and educational materials available in Indigenous languages to preserve these languages. In addition, the program works tirelessly to strengthen teachers’ bilingual skills and provide children with literacy skills in Spanish, Mam, Q’anjob’al, Ixil and K’iche’.

Read the full article about preserving Indigenous languages by Leonel Arguello at Global Washington.