MAIA Impact School, Guatemala
About MAIA Impact School
New Mona Partner in 2022
Launched in 2017 and located near the city of Sololá, the MAIA Impact School is Central America’s secondary school founded and led by Indigenous Maya women to connect the talents of rural Indigenous girls with the opportunities of the 21st century. Across all programs, MAIA serves about 450 girls from 48 remote villages.
The students, who enter the Impact School in Grade 7, are called “Girl Pioneers” because they are blazing a new trajectory towards prosperity and equal opportunity.
MAIA's Impact In Action: Nancy's Story
Filmed during Mona's May 2026 site visit
Learn more about Mona's May 2026 site visit to MAIA Impact School in our blog
"Beyond the School: How MAIA Is Shaping Educational Practice"
The Context
Guatemala has the largest gender-equity gap in the Western hemisphere. Maya women experience levels of exclusion that make them among the most marginalized groups on the planet. Fewer than 20% of Maya women complete high school, more than 50% marry or become mothers by the age of 20, and fewer than 10% participate in the formal economy.
In Sololá, where the Impact School is located, the population is 98% Maya and has the second-highest level of poverty in Guatemala with over 75% living on less than $2/day.
MAIA Programs
Leveling & Academic
Programs
Impulso - The Impulso program provides 6th Grade girls in public schools with the academic and socioemotional support they need to successfully transition to the Impact school.
Secondary education - The full day Impact School program for Grades 7-11 blends Maya culture with STEM learning, digital literacy, and practical skills to prepare Girl Pioneers for higher education and formal employment.
Mentorship & Family Engagement
Girl Pioneers and their families are continually supported by a team of mentors to engage in comprehensive social and emotional education, health services, sexual health education, vocal empowerment, and leadership training to ensure that education is a shared family commitment and that girls stay in school.
Monthly visits to each student’s family encourage meaningful conversation and foster a shared vision of their future.
Post Secondary
Success
MAIA graduates are supported for an additional year with mentorship, workforce skills training, and internship as they transition to university, employment, and leadership opportunities.
An alumni network and university scholarship fund further expand access to higher education.
Local Leadership Development
Local leadership is at the heart of MAIA's model. Guided by the belief, “If she can see it, she can be it,” leadership is rooted in individuals from the same communities as the Girl Pioneers, ensuring decisions are grounded in lived experience and local context. More than 97% of staff and leadership come from these communities, and 30% of staff are MAIA graduates. Ongoing investment in leadership development and professional growth strengthens local capacity and shared governance.
How we help
Mona has partnered with MAIA Impact School sincee 2022 and suppports the training of teachers, digital access, curriculum development, arts, and use of formative assessment tools.
MAIA's 2025 Progress
With your help:
- 448 Girl Pioneers educated
- 100 public school educators trained in Sololá through a collaboration with the Ministry of Education
- Piloted the Teacher Fellow Program, supporting a MAIA graduate to earn a university teaching degree while serving at the Impact School
- Co-founded Eduk’at, a network of schools and organizations committed to raising academic standards and expanding educational opportunities for underserved communities in Guatemala
MAIA's 2026 Plans
Mona's commitment: $40,000
- Provide high quality education to 490 girls
- Expand the Secondary Success program to systematize coaching beyond the first year, launch a dedicated alumni platform, and formalize a peer-led alumni board
- Provide 40 hours of professional development for teachers
- Expand the Teacher Fellowship Program to 5 university students
- Train more public school teachers in MAIA's innovative approaches in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
- Build a third floor to the Impact School, adding classrooms, mentorship spaces, and a multi-use outdoor auditorium
Stories of Impact
In 2025, MAIA conducted its first comprehensive Graduate Impact Study, surveying more than 170 graduates across nearly two decades of programming. The results are impressive.
● MAIA graduates achieve nearly three times the national average years of schooling for Indigenous women in Guatemala (14 years compared to 5 years nationally), and are entering fields where Indigenous women have been historically underrepresented.
● They are nearly six times as likely to be formally employed as rural women (nearly 60% compared to 10.1% nationally) and earn 32% more in formal employment.
● They are building self-determined, choice-filled lives, entering marriage and motherhood nearly five years later than Indigenous women nationwide (24 years on average, compared to 19).
● They are also emerging as leaders in their communities and beyond, with 39% holding leadership roles, over ten times the national rate of 3.8% among rural women.
Growing up in a rural Indigenous community in Guatemala, Angela faced limited opportunities to continue her education. As one of four children, she dreamed of becoming one of the first women in her family to complete secondary school.
At MAIA Impact School, Angela gained mentors, leadership skills, and the confidence to pursue her goals. After graduation, she continued applying for scholarships despite multiple setbacks. Through MAIA's Post-Secondary Success Program, she received guidance and support that helped strengthen her applications.
Angela's perseverance paid off when she earned a full scholarship to John Brown University, where she will study International Relations. She hopes to use her education and experiences to serve her community.
"At MAIA, I learned to use my voice and to dream beyond what I thought possible. Growing up, I never saw myself as a leader, but now I know how far my voice can reach when I work hard and stay resilient."
Description Title
Alexandra is a Girl Pioneer from a rural Indigenous community in Sololá, where structural barriers continue to limit educational opportunities for many girls. At MAIA, she has strengthened her academic skills while developing confidence, critical thinking, and leadership.
In 2025, Alexandra earned third place in Guatemala’s National Science Olympiad. Her innovative wind energy experiment combined scientific inquiry with cultural identity, exploring how renewable energy solutions can respond to local community needs. Competing against students from across Guatemala, her achievement reflects her academic excellence, creativity, and the mentorship and hands-on learning that have supported her journey.
“This achievement represents not only my own effort, but also the support of my family, educators, and classmates who motivated and inspired me to give my best. Dreams are achieved through hard work.”
Amelia's Story
Amelia, a young Maya Kaqchikel woman from a rural community in Sololá, Guatemala, embodies the transformative power of education. Growing up in a community where societal pressures often prevent young women from continuing their education, Amelia once faced the prospect of ending her studies after primary school. “I knew many girls hadn’t even studied because they were women,” she shares.
Everything changed when Amelia joined the MAIA Impact School. Overcoming shyness and cultural barriers, she became the first daughter in her family to graduate high school. The opportunities and tools provided by MAIA ignited a profound transformation. She developed critical-thinking skills, gained self-confidence, and discovered her voice. “My dreams haven’t changed, but they have evolved and grown as I’ve become more confident,” Amelia says.
Today, Amelia is pursuing her dream of becoming an architect at San Carlos University in Guatemala. She envisions herself contributing to her community through social projects and inspiring other young women to recognize their power and potential. “I am thrilled that more young women are studying at MAIA. They motivate me to continue pursuing my dreams as I see myself reflected in them. I wish to inspire many more young women to know the power of their words and voices and be what they dream and decide.”
Amelia’s story is a testament to how access to education and empowerment can break cycles of limitation, enabling girls to redefine their futures and drive progress within their communities. By lifting one, an entire generation is inspired.
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