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We are MAIA, an organization led by Indigenous women for Indigenous girls in Guatemala.
We are not a government, religious, or political organization. We are funded by donations from individuals and organizations who believe in the power of education and women. We pronounce our name “Maya”.
At MAIA, we maximize and amplify the transformative power of women to create a society with equity and opportunity.
We have a unique model that is redefining education and leadership in rural Guatemala. It combines academics, culture, health and well-being, socioemotional education, family engagement, and personal development.
Our model includes pre-secondary school academic leveling, a rigorous secondary education, program mentors who provide one-on-one mentorship and monthly home visits to engage the family, comprehensive health and nutrition services, and a post-secondary school program that provides university access coaching and financial assistance, vocational orientation, workplace skills training, and formal internships.
Our students, whom we call Girl Pioneers and their families, commit to 7 years of programming. However, upon completing the program, we continue to provide professional networking, university support, and workplace training.
Provides girls with the academic and socioemotional support they need to successfully transition from primary to secondary school, addressing the learning gaps caused by an underfunded and inequitable education system in Guatemala. Each year, approximately 60–75 girls participate in the program. They attend public primary school in the morning (6th grade) and attend MAIA in the afternoon for academic and socioemotional reinforcement.
The only secondary school of its scale in Central America designed to connect young women with the opportunities of the 21st century. The academic model combines Maya culture with a well-rounded curriculum that prepares students for higher education and formal employment. The full-day program includes STEAM learning, digital literacy, and practical skills training. Approximately 250 Girl Pioneers attend our school each year, where they receive two nutritious meals a day, school supplies, access to on-site health services, and socioemotional education that helps build their confidence and resilience.
Supports graduates from the Impact School as they take their next steps into higher education, employment, or entrepreneurship. Graduates receive one-on-one coaching in career planning, workplace skills, and financial literacy. They also gain real-world experience through internships and mentorship, which helps them succeed in university and beyond. The program features a peer-to-peer alumni network and a university support fund that offers financial and professional opportunities.
Works with our students and their families in the Impulso Program and Impact School to strengthen their social and emotional well-being, leadership skills, reproductive health knowledge, and vocal empowerment, enabling them to lead choice-filled lives. An on-site nurse and nutrition team provide preventative health services, nutrition guidance, hygiene kits, and referrals to medical providers as needed. A dedicated team of program mentors—Indigenous women from the same communities—lead weekly sessions with the girls to build soft skills and provide personalized support. They also make monthly home visits to involve the whole family and ensure that each girl’s education is a shared commitment.
We are strengthening education and leadership in rural Guatemala through a combination of internal and external training, empowering those who guide the next generation of Indigenous girls. We provide ongoing professional development for all staff, with a special focus on our educators and mentors, and then share these proven approaches with public school teachers, community leaders, and partner organizations. As co-founders of networks like Eduk’at, Ellas al Frente, and VOCES, we share strategies that scale our impact, expand opportunities for Indigenous girls, and strengthen Guatemala’s education system.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Girl Pioneers entered 7th grade at the MAIA Impact School with an average academic level equivalent to 4th grade in math and reading. These levels dropped further due to prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, we launched Program Impulso, a bridging program designed to close learning gaps and strengthen socioemotional well-being. Each year, 40–60 girls attend 6th grade at public schools in the morning and receive academic reinforcement, socioemotional support, and leadership development at MAIA in the afternoon. The program also provides daily nutritious meals, home visits from mentors, and on-site medical care, offering a holistic foundation for success in secondary school.
We call our students Girl Pioneers because they are forging a new path. The Girl Pioneers are Indigenous girls who live in rural areas and live below the poverty line in Guatemala. All Girl Pioneers receive a scholarship to be part of MAIA. A Girl Pioneer is any girl who studies at MAIA Impact School, and it is a noun, not a descriptor. When a girl enters MAIA, she becomes a Girl Pioneer, so we do not recommend referring to a Girl Pioneer as just a pioneer; we use the concept together.
In Guatemala, young Indigenous women confront highly challenging social and structural obstacles. Statistics show that 57% of Indigenous girls become mothers before they are 20 years of age. Three out of 10 are forced into early marriage, and only 2 out of 10 graduate from high school. Conventional thinking in rural Guatemala is often ruled by machismo and the notion that girls should remain at home.
At MAIA, we seek to expand educational opportunities for Indigenous girls, who historically have had less access to education and personal and professional development in Guatemala. Therefore, as an organization, we give priority to women, which is in line with our mission to reduce inequality gaps.
Girl Pioneers and their families come from 47+ rural highland villages in the department of Sololá, Guatemala.
Sololá is 98% Indigenous Maya and has the second-highest poverty level in Guatemala.
We serve nearly 4,000 people yearly, including 450 Girl Pioneers and their families, and MAIA graduates, who continue receiving post-secondary support.
Approximately 40-60.
To select future Girl Pioneers, we consider economic needs, academic achievement, motivation, and the proximity of their location to the MAIA Impact School. This one-year selection process includes community mapping and engagement, interviews, socioeconomic studies, written applications, and academic assessments.
Girl Pioneers are often the first women in their families to continue their education beyond primary school. When they apply to the Impact School, they are currently studying in primary school, live within a 90-minute distance from the Impact School, and come from families whose parents average 3 years of formal education.
Each Girl Pioneer receives a scholarship (free education). This includes two meals a day (lunch and snack), books, a backpack, uniforms, hygiene kits, access to technology, and support from a mentor for the family.
The scholarship does not cover transportation from school to each student’s home, breakfast, or any additional expenses that may arise (e.g., medical costs).
There is no application fee or payment required to apply to MAIA. Admission is based on a transparent and comprehensive selection process. Every Girl Pioneer admitted to the Impact School receives a scholarship that includes all of MAIA’s services and programs. Each family undergoes a socioeconomic evaluation to determine how much they can contribute financially to their daughter’s education. In addition to this financial contribution, all families participate in volunteer hours throughout the school year, strengthening the partnership between MAIA and families and reinforcing a shared commitment to each Girl Pioneer’s education and growth.
No, our school day is Monday through Friday, from 7:45am to 4:30pm. .
Through our Post-Secondary Success Program (designed for MAIA graduates), we connect Girl Pioneers to a network of universities and scholarship-granting organizations, supporting their access to and continuity in higher education. To ensure they not only enroll in university but also persist and complete their studies, we provide vocational orientation, personalized support, coaching for university and scholarship access, and partial financial assistance.
We are firmly committed to our philosophy: “If she can see it, she can be it.” When a Girl Pioneer sees that her math educator, English educator, or mentor is an Indigenous woman from a community she knows, she believes in herself. She knows that she, too, can achieve this. For this reason, our educators and mentors come from the same communities as Girl Pioneers. Our team is over 90% Indigenous.
It is often challenging to find educators and mentors with the professional skills and experience we seek. As a result, we invest significantly in the development and capacity-building of our team. All educators and mentors receive weekly coaching in innovative teaching practices, classroom management, leadership, and more. This ongoing support strengthens staff retention and ensures that Girl Pioneers and their families receive high-quality services. When MAIA team members move on, they carry their skills and leadership into other spaces, demonstrating the talent of rural Indigenous women and creating broader systems change beyond MAIA.
Yes. As an organization, we focus on maximizing the potential of our team and generating transformational change. Former staff members have utilized the training provided by our organization to lead or found organizations that work toward goals aligned with our mission and vision, demonstrating that our potential as an accelerator of female leadership extends beyond the Girl Pioneers and encompasses our entire staff.
Due to our focus on local talent, we rarely accept volunteers. However, we have collaborated with volunteers in the past in coaching and other specialized activities.
Impact data:
An award-winning model:
Our graduates are leaders in their communities and changemakers on a broader scale:
We have several options available for different types of support:
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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:
Postner Center
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.