MAIA Impact School, Guatemala
GUATEMALA
Home to 18 million people, Guatemala is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and some of the finest coffee in the world and yet:
80%
of Maya girls do not complete high school
57%
of Maya girls become mothers during their teenage years
79%
of the Maya population lives under the poverty line
About maia
MAIA unlocks and maximizes the potential of young Maya women to lead transformational change and create a more equitable society. Launched in 2017 and located near the city of Sololá, the MAIA Impact School is Central America’s first female, Indigenous-led secondary school specifically designed to connect the talents of rural Indigenous young women with the opportunities of the 21st century. The school serves 375 girls from 43 remote villages.
PROGRAMS
Rigorous academic instruction, including STEM classes, ensures students gain an average of two academic years of growth every school year with progress assessed along seven competencies. To support high quality teaching, the school invests over 100 hours of professional development for every MAIA educator and mentor.
Nearly all MAIA’s leadership and staff are indigenous Maya women. The staff are keenly aware they are role models for their students who they refer to as Girl Pioneers because they are blazing a new trajectory towards prosperity and equal opportunity. “If she can see it, she can be it.”
A team of mentors support the Girl Pioneers to navigate life’s challenges, develop and use their voices, and actively participate in society. In weekly mentorship classes and 1:1 counseling, the girls learn crucial nonacademic content such as leadership development, reproductive health, vocal empowerment, community engagement, and financial literacy.
Mentors also visit each student’s family every month with activities that encourage meaningful conversation among family members and foster a new shared vision of their future. Their work with families mirrors the school curriculum so that girls and their families are consistently discussing topics such as personal and family goal-setting; emotional, mental, and physical health; vocal empowerment and healthy communication; and community development.
"My dreams haven’t changed, but they have evolved and grown as I’ve become more confident"
- Amelia
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...
2024 IN REVIEW
List of Services
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EducationList Item 1
375 Maya girls from 43 communities received high quality education
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TeachersList Item 2
127 teachers trained
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CollegeList Item 3
Launch Year Program assisted 40 graduates to attend college or obtain formal employment
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PreparationList Item 4
Project Impulso provided 62 6th grade girls a year of academic reinforcement, allowing them to enter their first year at MAIA prepared
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Service
196 service projects carried out impacting 30,858 community members
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Parents
612 parents participated in the Family Engagement Program in support of their daughter's education and empowerment
2025 PLANS | $40K
List of Services
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EducateList Item 1
Provide high quality education to 439 girls
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Involve
Involve 379 parents in Family Engagement Program in support of their daughter's education and empowerment
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TrainList Item 2
Train 50 teachers
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EnhanceList Item 3
Enhance the Launch Program by increasing training opportunities, strengthening partnerships, and building a graduate support network
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ProvideList Item 4
Provide internet access for academics and program activities
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Scale
Develop scalable frameworks to share MAIA's best practices in education, gender equity, and socioemotional support with other organizations and government bodies
