Paraguay’s First Indigenous Female Surgeon: Mayumi Souza’s Inspiring Story

Mayumi Souza, a member of the Mbya Guaraní indigenous people, has made history by becoming Paraguay’s first female surgeon from her community.

Mayumi Souza’s journey to becoming a surgeon was not an easy one. She recently shared her story with Paraguay’s “El Pais” newspaper.

Souza’s interest in medicine was sparked when the governor of Itapúa Province, Luis Gneiting, encouraged indigenous youth to pursue university education. She applied for the medical major at the National University of Itapua (UNI) and received a scholarship from the Yasireta Hydropower Company (EBY) and the provincial government of Itapua.

However, in her third year of college, Souza and several classmates lost their scholarship support due to the different semester length for medical students. She took on various jobs, selling cosmetics, clothes, and food, to pay for her schooling and also received support from her family.

Souza’s biggest challenge came when her mother passed away due to chronic kidney disease. Despite this difficult moment, Souza chose to continue her studies and took her final exam.

Souza highlighted the difficulties faced by Aboriginal people in accessing quality education, citing the limited number of scholarship places available for indigenous students. She emphasized the importance of scholarship support, which enabled her to persist in her studies.

Contrary to rumors, Souza denied experiencing discrimination during her college years. She felt supported and treated kindly by her peers and professors.

Now, Souza plans to specialize in general surgery at the National Hospital of Itaguá or Encarnación.

Mayumi Souza’s inspiring story serves as a testament to her determination and perseverance. She has paved the way for future generations of indigenous women to pursue careers in medicine.