41 Girl Pioneers achieve a milestone on their trajectory to success and become the second class of graduates to earn a high school diploma from the MAIA Impact School.
It is with great happiness and pride that we present the second generation of Girl Pioneers who are graduating TODAY from the MAIA Impact School: Jaquelin, Sara, Ofelia, Yesenia, Glendy, Blanca, Gloria Marina, Lidia, Dilma, Iris, Rosalinda, Katherine, Jennifer, Margarita, Wendy Marisol, Adela, Gloria Estela, Renata, Elvia, Amelia, Andrea, Diana, Azucely, Florinda, Aura, Marta, Estefany, Jessica, María Elena, Zoila, Brenda, Lucero, Ana, Magdalena, Wendy Aracely, María Isabel, Rosalia, Glenda, Heidy, María Gloria, and Ana Cristina.
These bold young women joined the MAIA Impact School in 2018, full of enthusiasm and dreams, with the ambition to become young professionals, to learn, and, above all, with the great desire to continue studying to create a positive impact for themselves, their families, and their communities.
“I will remember them with those dreams and goals they wanted to achieve and with that passion with which they prepared themselves to generate positive changes,” shares Mentorship Coordinator Irma Tzay on this special occasion.
Rigoberta Menchú, Nobel Prize winner and Indigenous and women rights activist, also join the MAIA graduation ceremony as godmother of this second cohort of MAIA young leaders. She shares a message of hope and strength: “A woman needs to envision a purposeful and proactive agenda. Make your life plan so that you can take transformative actions.”
From day one, Indigenous girls and women face four challenges in their lives (they live in poverty, they live in rural areas, they are women, and they are Indigenous), on top of high levels of discrimination and inequality. However, this new generation of leaders overcame each of these challenges through their empowerment and access to high-quality education. They walked steadily on the path to building a society without stereotypes, violence, or inequality.
In addition, the global COVID-19 pandemic posed another obstacle that in various ways impacted Girl Pioneers and their families, as well as all our team of educators, mentors, directors, and MAIA collaborators. However, this did not stop us but instead brought us closer together. We continue to work as a team to make visible the achievement of each one of them and systemic change.
“After seeing their journey, I see them as young women with their own identity and a unique life project,” says Mayra Choc, Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator.
At MAIA, we witness how Girl Pioneers are unlocking the Girl Effect and their empowerment. They took a courageous bet and decided to change their lives through education—now, they use their empowered voice and leadership to transform their context with equity and justice.
This second generation of Girl Pioneer graduates will continue at the university the following year, carry out professional internships, or even enter the formal economy. Nothing stops them on the way to reaching their full potential. They are the solution and the future.
Find out soon how you, too, can be part of the solution on the path to empowering the new generations of Girl Pioneers.
At MAIA we celebrate the journeys of Lidia Oxí and Andrea Coché—two remarkable Indigenous women whose leadership is driving impact across Guatemala and beyond. As Lidia transitions to a
Today, October 11th, we join the global celebration of the International Day of the Girl, honoring the potential and vision of girls everywhere.
As we celebrate this day, we are proud
At MAIA, education goes beyond the confines of traditional academics. The Socioemotional Mentorship and Family Engagement Program is central to MAIA’s educational model. It is a unique initiative designed to
MAIA USA
Tax Identification Number (EIN) 68-0652444
Asociación MAIA
Tax Identification Number (NIT) 6896913-9.
Guatemala Office:
Km. 137, Caserío Xolbé,
Cantón El Tablón, Sololá, Guatemala
US Office:
1031 33rd Street, Denver, CO 80205
Every year at the MAIA Impact School, we welcome a new generation of Girl Pioneers. It is a transformative journey that changes the trajectory of the future of their lives, families, and the broader community.
With your investment, these remarkable young women will break cycles of poverty and build a brighter future.
