Each December, we share joy of the season with our students and their families by delivering a holiday meal basket ( canasta navideña ) to every home. These special baskets include a live chicken, rice, beans, grains, onions, garlic, tomatoes, guajillo chiles, achiote, and other spices—everything needed for a traditional and nourishing holiday feast. Our school staff personally delivers these baskets to more than 115 families in five remote Maya villages in western Guatemala,

Yasmin looks forward to completing her high school education in October 2026.  She hopes to achieve a university credential and to become a junior high school teacher. Her goal is to help young kids like herself to do better. She hopes to become a junior high school teacher at Maya Jaguar; or, at least, to give talks or lead workshops there.   Values are an important part of education. She says she has learned more about being a successful person from being a student at Maya

Laura began her studies at Maya Jaguar Private Technical Institute this school year, as a first-year high school student. She wants to be a teacher, either in a primary school, or a junior high school. Her mother lost her eyesight five years ago from an infectious disease that required a few surgeries. Life was hard for the family, as you can imagine. Her parents want her to continue her studies, but are unable to help. Her father had heard about the Instituto Maya Jaguar fro

Yaretzi wants to study to be a teacher so that she can help others, as Maya Jaguar has contributed to her own personal development. She’s been a student at Maya Jaguar for all four years. She starts her last year of high school in January. Her younger sister began her junior high education this past year at Maya Jaguar, because of Yaretzi’s success and influence. She wants to finish college and return to teach at Maya Jaguar - to “pay back” what she gained from her experience

Miguel shared with us that since he was a young boy, he has been motivated to teach and/or administer a business. His family lives in the community of Montebello, the community closest to the Maya Jaguar campus. They don’t have enough land to be able to support the family’s needs. His father is in the United States now, working to pay off the debt he incurred when he went there to work.   Miguel wants to do better - hence he plans to keep studying to improve himself. At Maya

Her goal is to be a junior high school teacher. Even better, she wants to return to Maya Jaguar to teach. She’s been a student at Maya Jaguar for four years. She’ll begin her fifth, and final, year in January 2026. Upon graduating from high school, she hopes to enter a two-year university program that trains and certifies junior high school teachers. Her life changed so radically when she began junior high school at Maya Jaguar. She told us it’s important to her that she have

Another successful school year has come to a close at the Maya Jaguar Private Technical Institute, a transformative secondary education program made possible through your generous support. During last week’s graduation ceremonies, students, their parents, and school staff gathered to celebrate remarkable achievements and bright futures. Despite the challenges faced during the COVID years (especially 2020), three high school students completed their studies and are now well-pr

Dony began his studies at Maya Jaguar Private Technical Institute in January 2025 as a first-year high school student. Several of his friends from his aldea (village) had studied here as junior high students. They encouraged him to attend the school, assuring him he’d get a better quality education than the public schools offer. He’s so grateful he listened to them, and that his parents also encouraged him to continue his education. Since he was a little boy he has wanted to

This is The Rotary Foundation Global Grant Summary for Phase One of the Water Project in the remote highlands of western Guatemala,...

Our students ask for 100 tablets for next school year Most U.S. schools have already started a new school year. In Guatemala, our Maya...