MAIA

I was a donor to Maia and whilst in central america made a special trip to visit them. I was super impressed with the standard of education, the systems, how they worked with families and the process for selecting the girls.
The staff were all very committed and professional. Hopefully some of these girls will become leaders in Guatemalan (currently in congress Mayan are VERY under represented, and there is just one Mayan woman). Change needs to come from government as well as at community level, hopefully some of the Pioneer Girls will heklp bring about the necessary structural changes needed in Guatemala.

I have been a volunteer for MAIA assisting a few of the Girl Pioneers in a small way. From afar, I was impressed with the quality of the leadership and the program. Being able to visit in person yesterday and to meet some of the team in person and to witness the young women of this amazing community interact and comport themselves with such competence and confidence was a marvel. The program is a well-conceived approach not only to education but to the entire wellbeing of these young women and their families. I am proud to be involved.

Recientemente el equipo de Fundación Ixcanul tuvimos el privilegio de visitar Maia Impact School de la mano de Lídia Oxi y Andrea Coché, y desde el primer instante, sentimos una profunda conexión con el entorno y con las personas que hacen posible este proyecto tan significativo. Nos acompañó Jayro Bustamante, quien compartió su historia personal con las jóvenes estudiantes. Fue profundamente inspirador ver cómo las chicas escuchaban atentamente, cómo se reconocían en su relato y lo tomaban como un reflejo de sus propias aspiraciones.

Conversar con las chicas y su profesora, Miss Vilma, y escuchar sus sueños fue un regalo. Sus voces, llenas de convicción y fuerza, nos recordaron la importancia de seguir sumando fuerzas por un mundo donde todas las personas tengan las mismas oportunidades de crecer y ser felices.

Maia Impact School está realizando un trabajo extraordinario desde un enfoque de derechos y pertinencia cultural, asegurando que estas jóvenes no solo reciban una educación de calidad, sino que también se sientan empoderadas para convertirse en las líderes que nuestras comunidades tanto necesitan. Es evidente que el compromiso con la educación, la equidad y el desarrollo integral de las estudiantes es el corazón de esta institución.

Con gratitud!

It is an admirable institution and they do impressive work. Young women with limited resources are able to face life thanks to the training provided at MAIA.

Es un proyecto espectacular!! Digno de apoyo y de ser imitado. La educación es la llave para abrir todas las puertas y la formación que le dan a las niñas es magnífica. Enseñarles inglés también ha sido un gran acierto para que tengan muchas más oportunidades! Felicitaciones!!!

Last month, several members of the grant committee from Hands of Healing, Inc. met with MAIA Impact at the school in Solola.
The program exceeded all expectations. The intensive support system, led by indigenous women for indigenous girls, is reaping great rewards. These young women are reshaping their futures and uplifting their communities. Well done!

It was an amazing experience to spend time at MAIA and learn about all the great things happening for the women in the surrounding villages. The school has a well designed program rooted in the belief of women helping women succeed and empowering them to become everything they dream they can become. MAIA is a blessing to the communities it serves. Well done team!!!

Our foundation, Someone Else's Child, has been partnering with MAIA for several years. We met its co-director, Lidia Oxi, through MIT Solve. Lidia and her team of Indigenous women have done an amazing job of empowering a new generation of young Indigenous women. The MAIA model encompasses academics, culture, socioemotional intelligence, personal development, and family engagement.

We recently visited the school and were fortunate to also meet with several students and a family. The young ladies we met have aspirations to become teachers, physicians, artists, business people... The mission of the school is quite distinctive and clearly successful. We are grateful to have experienced it.

Having just returned from my tenth visit to MAIA/Starfish, I can only echo what others have said in their reviews. Each time I visit, I am blown away by the progress this organization has made since my previous visit. Success is evident everywhere. If only I could say the same about education in the US.

I am a board member for Quetzal University and MAIA is a partner with our program. Our program is sending underserved indigenous women to universities to get a degree in their chosen field. MAIA hires many of our students and graduates for jobs in their program, and we have a fiscal relationship.

We have been friends with MAIA since their beginning. Now it is a school run by indigenous women who act as role models for students. We are in awe of the amazing and innovative program they have developed to give their indigenous students a truly "world class education" and training to help them be leaders in their homes, communities, and country. The program is helping to break taboos and barriers that are holding women back from achieving their potential. "How Far Will She Go" is one of their mottos. They can provide information of their many amazing success stories. We are proud to be a partner with such an award winning innovative school for girls.

We worked with the MAIA Impact School as part of a filming project in October. It was so impressive to see not only the incredible education that the school provided for indigenous girls in the area, but the strength of the network of representatives and alumni who continued to act as ambassadors for the school beyond graduating, positively impacting their communities and sharing the knowledge they had learned.

Everyone we worked with was incredibly welcoming and helpful and only had the best things to say about the affect that their connection with the school had on their lives and the lives of others.

We were introduced to MAIA in 2022. The importance of MAIA is that they educate girls from the indigenous community and prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow. We spent a day visiting the school, talking with one of the Co-Executive Directors, the Director of the school, the Development Director, and several of the students. We were greatly impressed by the curriculum and philosophy, but what most impressed us was the students: confident, articulate young women who have clear ideas of where they are going and what it will take to get there. We joined as major donors in 2022 and pledged to continue through 2024, and we will probably continue beyond this initial period. We look forward to our continuing association.

I have had the immense honor of collaborating with MAIA, dedicated to breaking the cycles of poverty, discrimination, and injustice through the education and empowerment of Indigenous girls in Guatemala. Through my involvement with MAIA, I have discovered a meaningful way to contribute to the mission of maximizing the potential of these remarkable young women, enabling them to lead transformative change in their lives, families, and communities.

Working with MAIA has been a truly fulfilling experience. It's not just about giving back; it's about being part of a movement that is changing lives and creating a ripple effect of positive change in the world. MAIA's commitment to education, empowerment, and social justice is both inspiring and impactful.

I am grateful for the privilege of volunteering with this incredible organization and supporting its vital work. Through my involvement with MAIA, I have not only been able to make a difference, but I have also had the honor of becoming a part of the "Latina Alianza for Impact", which has deepened my connection to a network of like-minded individuals dedicated to creating meaningful change.

Silent Images loved getting to collaborate with MAIA on video projects that tell the story of the school. Our team spent just under two days filming with MAIA, interacting with the students and witnessing firsthand the school community's dedication to learning. Passion is at the core of the students, teachers and leaders of the MAIA Impact School, and it was a pleasure getting to see how education and empowerment are changing the lives of Indigenous Maya women in Guatemala.

MAIA empowers indigenous girls in rural Guatemala to achieve their highest potential through a robust girl-centered education, mentorship, and social-emotional program. The staff are predominantly indigenous women, modeling the notion that "if you can see it, you can be it." All of my engagements with MAIA, from students to teachers to administrative staff, have been exceptional in terms of their thoughtful approach to complicated and challenging issues, adherence to their mission, and the emerging girl pioneers who are proving every day what is possible if given an opportunity.

I am currently volunteering at MAIA and greatly enjoying my time. The first thing that impresses me about MAIA is its facilities. They are very organized, and each student is provided with a computer and tablet. There are nearly 7,000 books available in the library, creating an environment in which students can develop and deepen their interests in various areas. The second is the academic and socioemotional content they provide. Classes are full-day and between 75 to 90 minutes. I can see that the content of each lesson is thoughtfully designed and contextualized to enrich the students. MAIA's work with Girl Pioneer families is key to ensuring Girl Pioneers and their families are invested in her education. Third is the enthusiasm at MAIA. Girl Pioneers enjoy being at MAIA. You can see them working towards their dreams. They are not there to simply graduate but to explore possibilities of where they can go beyond secondary school. At the same time, program staff are proactive and constantly innovating and adapting to challenges. The entire program is designed to empower and generate opportunity.

I am so happy to have met this organization and to be able to work with them and learn from them to make positive change.

I've had the pleasure of supporting MAIA for years now and helping them amplify their mission with Latinas in the US.
Every time I get to talk to one of the Girl Pioneers, I'm incredibly impressed by them and how committed they are to their education and their communities.

I know MAIA since 2018 when I attended a conference and the presenter spoke about this organization. I am a teacher who intentionally bridges the content in the classroom with the real world. I contacted Travis Ning who at the time was the leader, to travel to Guatemala to learn about the program. I visited the school and interacted with the girls and their teacher leaders and mentors. We also spent a day climbing a volcano and the girls sang their mantra or hymn as part of their empowerment exercise. I could not believe that a project like this existed.

In 2019 I took my first group of students and it was an experience that changed us deeply. By then the school was in its actual location, a modern and beautiful building. Both schools shared their best practices, identified common problems and proposed solutions, and more importantly, students were able to connected heart to heart. In 2020 we cancelled our second trip a week prior due to the pandemic but last year I was able to take another group and we had a profound learning experience (thanks to Mrs. Lidia Oxi and Vilma Saloj for their planning and hard work). One of the participants, who is in now in College, just wrote to tell me that she spoke to her professor of Gender Studies about the impact MAIA had on her. One of my students who traveled with me last year is working to create a non profit to help girls and women, and MAIA will be one her beneficiaries.

I teach AP Human Geography and Women's Studies at an independent school in the U.S.A. and MAIA is the example I use when I teach about the UN Development Goal #5 on Gender Equality.

I am organizing another trip to Guatemala for 2024 and I hope I can continue expanding the life-changing work that MAIA does. Thank you for impacting our lives in a positive way. You are a testament that change is possible.

Laura Massa, Palmer Trinity School

This organization is a complete game changer for rural Guatemalan girls. Maia offers its students the highest educational opportunities to learn and combines them with mentorship. The whole person is supported, enabling the students to succeed. Graduates are going places! I wish all students around the world, including in the USA, could have an organization such as Maia backing them up.

We have been aware of Maia for several years and watched them grow and expand their impact. Their staff and organization are very communicative and we have appreciated walking with them as they carry out their mission. As others have written, their mission grabbed us right away: the girl pioneers immediately discover their voices and recognize the great things they have to offer the world, and then long term they fulfill that potential. The school provides encouragement, resources, and incredible role models. What's more, they are a model that other communities want to replicate. With our contribution, we feel like we are investing in something that has immediate positive impacts for the girls and their families, long term impact for the community, and potential global impact as their success is a model for others.

I know MAIA as a former employee and now as a She's the First partner. MAIA is a pioneer in developing programs that address the needs of girls, particularly indigenous girls. As one of the only organizations led by indigenous women, they take unique approaches that are centered on the community and the holistic development of the girl. My favorite things about MAIA are that they are intentional in everything that they do, they are always thinking about how to do things better, and they are always looking to collaborate with other organizations in the girls and education spaces either to learn from them or to share their own innovations.

MAIA is an inspirational and fantastic organization! I had the opportunity to visit and learn more about MAIA in-person during a site visit with a group of UT students. We had an amazing time, having the unique opportunity to speak with MAIA students, staff, and collaborators first-hand. They are a committed and empowered team of individuals that are creating transformational experiences and learning opportunities for young indigenous women in the region, while also making significant social impact in the communities that they reach. I truly applaud their efforts and hard work, and I encourage everyone to please support their mission!

MAIA is an amazing organization that is one of a kind. It is mission driven supporting unlocking the power and potential of young women in Guatemala. It has four clear goals for success and it has demonstrated amazing results, increasing the education level, emotional maturity and self confidence of thousands of indigenous Guatemalan women. The organization is led by leaders from the community it serves and serves as a shining example of what all NGOs/non-profits should strive to be. I am extremely proud to help support this one of a kind organization.

We volunteered at MAIA in the winter of 2019. We were very impressed by how MAIA is empowering indigenous young women. MAIA is exceptionally well run and organized. As retired school teachers we were impressed with how motivated these young women were to learn.
David and Ingrid Webb

MAIA is an outstanding organization. What they have achieved in a relatively short time is inspirational and should be emulated. In a recent visit post Covid, I witnessed classes full of earnest, hard working, inspired young ladies. Their commitment to the rigours of study is admirable and to be supported. Importantly, I saw girls smiling and laughing, confidently walking with purpose and pride. To me, smiling students are arguably the strongest endorsement of a school. They are curious, caring and courageous- all important attributes for their future success.

MAIA is an important organization doing important work in Guatemala. The local staff commitment and passion for educations is outstanding and inspiring. The dedication every one involve invest is great, from the gardener at the building to the Teacher with their students. Every time you witness their work, you believe there is hope for quality education in this country. MRocio.- Youth In Development Peace Corps Guatemala.

MAIA is an amazing school! I got the amazing opportunity to visit the school on my study abroad trip to Guatemala. As a female, it was really wonderful to see an institution empowering women and pushing for the success of indigenous women. I would encourage anyone to visit and see the incredible work being done!

My family and I have been supporters of MAIA for many years. We have been blessed to host students and staff in our home and to have visited Guatemala and seen first hand the impact MAIA is having on students, their families, and the community. We recently visited the new school and the facility is absolutely beautiful with state of the art classrooms and technology. As an organization, MAIA is transparent and implements best practices. MAIA is always vision casting and asking how they can improve and who can they connect with to increase their network for their students. They communicate well with their supporters and we have enjoyed long-lasting relationships with people we have met through MAIA. The young women being educated at MAIA are already positively influencing their communities and I have no doubt that their impact is going to be profound.

I love the updates and newsletters from Maia! I especially love reading the writings of some of the Girl Pioneers — on Mayan culture, women’s rights, art and writing as self expression! I also appreciate the traditional recipes and language lessons!!

In the late 1960, upon returning home to Colorado from working with the Peace Corps in Venezuela and Costa Rica, I travelled through Guatemala. The country, its’ natural beauty, its’ people and their culture and art captured my heart. I have returned many times since then. I often spend three months a year so I have been gifted the time to become acquainted and learn so much from the Guatemalans. My experience with MAIA began while volunteering with Starfish, the program from which MAIA evolved. I have the privilege and honor of calling many of the staff and girls my friends. I have watched the program evolve. I have been privileged to host many of the Guatemalan staff , most of whom like the students , are indigenous themselves, in my home in Colorado. They visited while they investigated and researched the best educational practices and carefully studied how they would best fit with the population they serve - indigenous Maya girls from families with scarce resources. The organization was/is constantly reviewing what has worked in the past, what needs to be improved and how to make that happen.
Very impressive to me is the importance placed on incorporating the culture into the program. Last year I observed the students working in science class with their white lab coats protecting their beautiful traditionally handwoven skirts and blouses. I watched in a classroom across the hall as an art and social studies class worked with a local Maya muralist planning what they would paint on one of the walls of the school. I recently saw the finished creation that portrayed empowered young women in their traje (traditional clothing) alongside important world famous female leaders.
The daily meals the students are fed include produce from the gardens planned and cultivated by the girls. The beds are sown with vegetables and fruits but also many medicinal plants customarily used by their mothers and grandmothers for their healing powers and in ceremonies.
MAIA also stands out by their insistence of hiring local Maya women who have either graduated from universities or are currently engaged in university studies who grew up and lived in the local communities , speak the indigenous languages and can relate by their personal histories to the students and their families. Their input in developing programs to work both with the families, the students and the community is invaluable.
The extraordinary features of this school and its program are far too numerous to list. Their generosity in sharing what they have learned with other educational institutions both nationally and internationally enriches and gives hope to the future of today’s young people throughout their own country and also the world.

Among many NGOs I have worked with and learned from MAIA far and away leads the pack ,without qualification.

Patsy Schmitz

I have known MAIA and Starfish ever since their founding over 10 years ago. There is not a more powerful example of the importance of quality education and support for young women in building community, in developing future local and national leaders in Guatemala. The faculty are highly accomplished, the focus on mission is enviable. This is education at its best!

MAIA is a truly amazing organization. I have been very fortunate to have seen them evolve from the mentorhip program to the school. The team is remarkable and passionate. The change is notable and impressive in the young girls before and after being part of MAIA. I believe in the fact that talent is equally distributed but opportunities aren't, MAIA is working to change this. The young women who go through the program are eager to learn and improve their lives and the lives of their families. I think MAIA is making this world a better place, and I wish there could be a MAIA in every community in Guatemala.

Our group of 7 from SHE-CAN visited MAIA Impact School in June 2021 and enjoyed a campus tour followed by lunch with a small group of students and a home visit. We were impressed by the intentionality of everything about the school and quickly observed that decisions are clearly made with great care, purpose and thoughtfulness, deliberately centering the needs and wellbeing of the students. For example, the school has made it a priority to include the parents, families and communities of its students in the education process so that they will understand and support the students on their journeys. Many of the tools and skills used at school are applicable at home and are actively shared and practiced (e.g., regular check-ins and naming of feelings to promote social-emotional wellbeing). The school itself is led by a team of inspiring Mayan women who are positive and influential role models for their students because their life experiences are both relatable and aspirational. The campus was purpose-built to meet the needs of its students - comfortable, well-equipped learning spaces that inspire curiosity and motivate students to work hard to reach their own personal goals. The program felt supportive and collaborative, with a focus on meeting students where they are and enabling them to reach their full potential both academically and in life.

I have worked with MAIA and the MAIA team since it was called Starfish. I believe very strongly in the mission of this organization to empower young indigenous women and therefore lift up the whole family. When the family is empowered, you also empower the entire community. The impact of having other indigenous women as teachers and mentors is so uplifting to young girls who from those same communities. With the support of MAIA these intrepid young Mayan women were able to continue their education through Covid and support their villages by starting local gardens. Start small and make an immeasurable difference!

I recently visited MAIA and I was warmed welcomed! I was very impressed by the quality of everything that is been done at MAIA, the protocols, the security, the privacy settings with the girls, everything was world-class! Also I had the AMAZING experience of visiting a family of one of their students and understood completely the impact the organization is actually making in the lives of the young girls.

I want to share that MAIA is a marvelous project and initiative!

MAIA stands out as a leader in the field of girls empowerment and their professionalism and impact are unmatched by other organizations in the region. Through local leadership, having directors and educators who come from the same context as the Girl Pioneers, their programming is carefully crafted to meet the needs of indigenous girls to ensure they have the tools they need to blaze their bold new trajectories. This organization is creating transformational change and does so with the utmost transparency and respect for its fellow team members and students. I am always in awe of the incredible resilience and hard work of the Girl Pioneers, they are going to change the world!

I had the privilege of visiting MAIA in April 2021.
I spent a week there visiting classrooms and working with members of the staff - each day was more inspiring than the one before it.
I left very aware and very grateful that it was a special place not just for the students, but also for every adult that worked there!

I visited MAIA in January, 2020. Our small delegation of frequent visitors to Guatemala met several students and was able to have lunch in the nearby home of one of them. The girls at MAIA are exceptional, in no small part, I'm sure, because of their experiences at MAIA.

MAIA is unique. Over the last twenty five years I have seen all too many indigenous Guatemalan girls growing into traditionally subordinate and circumscribed roles that limit both their personal development and the contribution that they might make to their communities as well as to the larger society. MAIA confronts that pervasive reality head on and says, "there is another way!"

That other way starts a full year before the prospective student is scheduled to enter the school. I have never seen anything like the work that MAIA does with these young recruits and their families in forging a bridge connecting traditional households with the world of educational achievement.

At the heart of the MAIA program is their absolute commitment to academic excellence. The school pushes the girls ahead at a very rapid pace, offering abundant support but making no concessions to the poor preparation they might have received in village schools. Daunting though these expectations may be, the students appear to be thriving, to some considerable extent, I'm sure, because they have before them such compelling role models, their teachers who are indigenous Maya women like themselves, living embodiment of their own aspirations.

Overall, my visit to MAIA was a heartwarming experience that left me deeply impressed. MAIA offers an unusual combination of rigor and support that the girls seem to absorb and radiate back. Bright, engaged and disciplined, they also seemed remarkably attuned to the needs and emotions of others. They made me feel optimistic.

I had the privilege of serving as MAIA's Director of Development from 2013-2016, Director of Major Gifts from 2017-2019, and am now an active member of the MAIA Board of Directors. Having worked in the international development space for two decades, I can speak to MAIA's exceptional ability to implement a 21st-century school with a clear vision and strategy that is effectively moving the needle towards systemic change among this hemisphere's most vulnerable population: rural, poor, Mayan women. Among many other areas of intention, this unique indigenous, female-led organization is committed to the following: maintaining an extremely high level of emotional intelligence, learning from others, being open-source, keenly monitoring progress, measuring impact, being nimble, and pivoting where necessary. MAIA is a leader in critical thought, empowered voice, and sustainable action and is being recognized nationally and internationally as the Girl Pioneers and the MAIA team break down barriers and pave a new path forward. I am honored and humbled to be a part of such an incredible organization and am so grateful to continually learn from this extraordinary team and to witness their commitment towards and ability to change the world.

i’ve been deeply involved with MAIA for several years. It is an exceptional organization helping indigenous Mayan girls find their voice, get an education, and gain access to the broader economy, and thereby Secure a better future for themselves, their families, their communities, in the world at large. MAIA offers so much more than an opportunity to “give“; it offers a chance to partner with the community in securing opportunity that can permanently change the trajectory for other people.

I had followed MAIA (and its previous iteration, Starfish One by One) for many years before joining its advisory board this fall. In my career as an education journalist (and, before that, as a teacher in the U.S. and in Guatemala), I have seen hundreds of schools up close; MAIA is singular, both in its nuanced, multifaceted, considered approach to academic and holistic education—as well as its exceptional results. MAIA's educators understand the critical importance of mentorship, as well as how to build a scholarly culture from the ground up. The leaders draw on global advances in education and careful consider how to apply these lessons to their unique context. I could not recommend MAIA more highly.

We have had the privilege of serving as the Executive Director and Director of Project Development, respectively, of Circle of Women, a non-profit that works towards increasing girls’ access to secondary education throughout the world. From the start of our partnership with MAIA in 2018, MAIA’s mission of creating sustainable and systemic change in Guatemala and in the world by uplifting young, indigenous women has continued to inspire us. The MAIA team is a joy to work with--responsive, conscientious, and always going above and beyond to help their girls. The project we funded for MAIA--providing 51 e-readers for two grade levels at the Maia Impact School and purchasing 50 ebooks on each e-reader--ran seamlessly thanks to the dedication and expertise of their local team. Moreover, they have continued to grow this project beyond the capacities we even imagined. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the complete shutdown of Guatemala’s schools, the Maia Impact School was able to continue providing quality, remote education to its Girl Pioneers by using the e-readers in conjunction with laptops and technology such as Zoom. MAIA also took this opportunity to provide PPE and essential items kits to their students. This is an example of just one of the ways in which MAIA is dedicated to uplifting its Girl Pioneers and the communities they're from. We are so grateful to be continuing our partnership with MAIA, and we recommend that anyone work with this fantastic organization!

I had the privilege of working with MAIA, in Guatemala, from 2013 to 2015. In the years since, I have remained an enthusiastic supporter of this incredibly responsive, locally-led organization. It is a genuine pleasure to witness the thoughtful evolution of this program and to see the growing impact of young women they serve.

MAIA is a best in class organization on absolutely every level. It's hard to put into words the caliber of programs, people, and impact because it's so far beyond that of any other organization I've seen. MAIA is a truly global model of innovation and empowerment.

The context in which MAIA works is arguably one of the most challenging in the world, which is exactly why their model is so critical for the communities they serve. But their reach goes beyond the immediate communities, it's national and it's global as evidenced by their many international recognitions and awards. The MAIA staff's ability to navigate and adapt to a myriad of challenges ranging from environmental, political, social, and cultural, guarantees the organization's ability to succeed far into the future.

There are many definitions of success at MAIA. Through local leadership and a model based in self-empowerment, they unlock nascent talent, challenge cultural paradigms, invest in sustainable development, upend the status quo for gender equality, and elevate the status and voices of Guatemala's most powerful resource- its women.

As a former staff member, current donor, and lifelong supporter, I encourage others to learn more about MAIA and get involved to the fullest extent. Your support will help MAIA create infinite impact in Guatemala and beyond, and I guarantee you will personally benefit and grow in more ways than you can imagine!

Pi Lambda Chi Latina Sorority, Incorporated has been partnered with MAIA since the founding of the sorority. We are so incredibly honored to have this ongoing partnership with them as well as their support throughout our national chapters and associate chapters. Our organization is so grateful to collaborate with a nonprofit that fights and strives for womxn empowerment, as well as building momentum for a better world.

MAIA is an incredible one of kind organization that changes young women's lives for the better. It not only gives young indigenous Guatemalan a world-class organization it also teaches them and their families skills to better communicate and support each-other to drive for future success. It has measurable KPI's that have proven demonstrable success to help young women improve their lives and the lives of their family and community. On top of all that success one of the most unique things is that the organization is run by indigenous women of the community and the vast majority of the staff is made of of indigenous women.

I am proud to have been a board member for the past 3 years of MAIA. This is a truly an awe-inspiring organization.

I was introduced to MAIA by a close friend. I was supportive of their vision for the young Guatemalan girls but was not necessarily expecting the organization to have an emotional impact on me personally. After visiting the MAIA school, I became a believer as well in these young girls' future! Everyone that is involved in this organization has spent hours upon hours thinking of all of the details that are necessary to help transform these young girls' lives! It's an amazing organization filled with dedicated individuals.

I first heard of MAIA through my daughter and as a retired teacher and a believer in girl’s/women’s education, I totally embrace this cause. I have visited the MAIA Impact School in Sololá, Guatemala several times. I love to talk teaching with the teachers and especially enjoy watching these girls go about their education. If not for this school, most of these girls would be working and/or married, living a familiar life within the cultural norms of indigenous women in the Guatemalan highlands. MAIA is helping them unlock their full potential and chase their dreams, which are not very different from any girl in the US. These girls want to become doctors, nurses, educators, business owners, politicians. They will improve the lives of everyone in their communities and in their country as they set and meet their goals. MAIA gives them opportunities which their families cannot financially support. Their parents are so proud as the girls continue their education with the support of high quality, well-trained teachers from local area, indigenous women themselves. The girls arrive for 7th grade from public schools with reading and math skills several years below grade level. MAIA enables them to graduate from high school ready and confident to compete on the national and world stage. You cannot ask for more than that!

I first learned of the Maia impact school when it was operating as Starfish. I strongly believe in this organization’s mission to empower indigenous women. I’ve have learned about MAIA, through attendance at informational events and fundraisers in the US and had a unique opportunity to visit the school in Solola. My experience with this incredible organization is inspiring and I will continue to support MAIA in the future!

I’ve heard and read a lot lately about the global impact that empowering women and girls can have on poverty and climate change, but the arguments have been abstract. I recently visited the MAIA Impact School and witnessed this promise in real time.

It was obvious to me - and staff and families I spoke with confirmed - the change these girls have undergone in a short time. I talked with several girls completing their third year at the school. Instead of being on the receiving end of a system that believes that girls aren’t worth educating because their future is to marry and have children, MAIA is helping these girls and their families break that cycle. Through their commitment to the 4 goals that MAIA has for these girls and their families (which everyone signs up for) the girls talked about possible future careers including intentions to become leaders - leading by example in their families and communities. In this process they’re creating a virtuous cycle of change through their siblings, parents and communities.

Also as part of this process, MAIA is testing and proving a wrap-around educational model which can become a platform for leveraging and extending this impact in other departments in Guatemala.

MAIA’s Impact school is a beacon for the importance of educating girls in order to make a difference in the lives of families and whole communities. I recently had the opportunity to visit with MAIA leadership as well as staff at the school and students themselves. My visit was incredibly valuable: I received honest, thoughtful answers to all my questions about future plans and challenges.

MAIA operates the school with a very clear strategy. The goals are for each graduate to have a job paying at least minimum wage, thereby guaranteeing economic independence; to complete at least 15 years of formal education; to have a family on her own terms, including not marrying until age 25; and to become a leader in her community. The girls I spoke with want to achieve the first three goals, but whether they will or not remains to be seen—they were in the 9th grade. But leadership potential was palpable. Instead of being “throw-aways” who are not worth the investment of time and money for education, they come early to school to read; do research on computers which they had never previously held; ask questions and voice their opinions; and speak up clearly about their dreams for the future which focus on helping their communities. What the girls are called upon to do is very difficult—almost double the hours their public school counterparts spend in class, if indeed they continue past 6th grade. Family engagement and support is mandatory, and the change in attitudes especially of fathers about the value of girls’ education is striking. Girls have the benefit of mentors (paid MAIA staff) who meet with them regularly for encouragement and support.

Teachers and staff are inspiring. They are enthusiastic and innovative. No one seems just to settle for an easy or cookie cutter solution. There is a constant search for what works, what doesn’t, and what else can be done to improve pedagogy and curriculum content.

The leadership is committed to making what it learns available to others—other teachers, NGO’s and schools. The school itself is viewed as a space to test out new ideas and widely disseminate what works.

MAIA is especially attuned to the girls’ needs to develop resilience. Their lives will not be easy as they will be among “the firsts” in Guatemalan universities and businesses. As indigenous women who have grown up in rural areas, all of whom speak Spanish and English as second and third languages, they will face sexism, classism and racism. Perhaps the most important thing that the Impact school is doing is developing models for nurturing the resilience needed to face these challenges. MAIA girls are determined to be future leaders.

Empowering women changes everything. My son is adopted from Guatemala. If his birth mother had experienced MAIA, he may have never needed to be removed from his native culture and biological family. He may have grown up in an intact family in his native country with an educated, powerful mother. Adoption was the best available option for him. MAIA enables indigenous girls to grow into powerful women!

MAIA has changed my life. I became involved with the MAIA Board a few years ago by some serendipitous connection as I am a Guatemalan living in Denver. Everyone frequently asks whether I think my country will ever change, and I know through organizations like MAIA, it will, as it empowers girls to become active members of society.

She's the First has been conducting site visits with Estrella del Mar (Starfish) since early 2011. In that time, we've witnessed the organization blossom from one focused on empowerment to one focused on overall success for each and every one of its students. One thing that hasn't changed is the organization's commitment to growth and learning, as they continue to innovate to improve their services each and every year, as we witness in person each year.

We've come to know much of the staff and many students in Starfish programs, and the repeat visits have shown us the outcomes of a program as intensive as this one: Staff members are happy and dedicated to their work, and students grow over time to be more confident and ready to take on the world. Starfish has also built a name for itself in the local community, where many people know of the organization through the many community members who are regularly involved in the program.

Overall, She's the First has the utmost confidence not only in Estrella del Mar as it exists today, but also in the Estrella del Mar of tomorrow. Their innovation, dedication, and commitment to equality are hallmarks of a strong program that will serve the community well for years to come.

I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Starfish Impact School in person to drop off some donations while I was traveling in Lake Atitlan, and I was so glad I made time for it!
As a social worker with a background in youth development, I was thoroughly impressed by the comprehensive holistic approach Starfish applies to all of their programs in their effort to educate young women. You can tell the Starfish team has been very intentional and responsible with the way they have developed the girls' school, making sure that the program objectives and implementation are driven by community needs and community input; many of the teachers and full-time staff were from the surrounding community, some of them were even graduates of past Starfish projects.
It was really great to see an NGO with such a transparent, effective, and sustainable approach, and getting to meet some of the young women who are students was such a treat! All the students there were smiling and engaged and participating actively in the classes we got to observe, so wonderful to see!

I have been fortunate to serve as the foundation manager for two grant making organizations, the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation and the Harvey Family Foundation, in their grants to Starfish. I have also personally contributed to Starfish from my family’s donor advised fund at the Denver Foundation. These experiences over the past eight years have only increased my belief in, and support of, their work.

Over the past thirty years as a foundation manager, I have worked with hundreds of international nonprofits. I believe this experience has taught me a lot of what it takes for these organizations to be successful. First, I believe that it is critical to be a learning organization. This starts by being very clear about the organization’s mission, goals and objectives. It is followed by a commitment to measuring their outcomes and learning from their successes and failures. As a result these organizations are clearly focused and constantly improving. Starfish does this extremely well. They are focused on changing the lives of Guatemalan’s indigenous people by developing girls as strong and capable leaders in their communities. Year by year I have seen the “Starfish model” evolve and improve to a point where they are now creating a school for these girls. Second, to be effective international nonprofits need to have an efficient and effective management team with strong support from the first world. But this management team must understand and be supportive of the local leadership. The overall process must be bottom up and led by the indigenous people but must be supported from the outside. Management’s job is to help guide and support this in-country effort but also be able to provide resources from outside the country. Many international nonprofits struggle with this balance. Starfish continues to be successful because of very strong and talented Guatemalan leadership and yet also has strong U.S. based management which provides strategic leadership and financial resources.

I believe strongly in Starfish One by One and encourage you to support their efforts to change the lives of Guatemalan women so that they can change the lives of their families and their country’s future. Should you have any questions I would be happy to talk further with you.

Peter Konrad

My husband and I made our first trip to Guatemala in February 2013 to visit Starfish one by one, I can say that we were blown away. We visited classrooms and were delighted at the quality of the education, mentoring and interaction between the young ladies. Home visits made us realize that these girls would not have an opportunity for education without help. The barriers of illiteracy, remoteness, language and discrimination are insurmountable for these beautiful women.
I am convinced with the help of the mentoring and support received from Starfish, these ladies can lead the way for their families, sisters for years to come.

My Rotary club is currently working with Starfish to support a group of girls in a mentor circle. From the first time we connected with Starfish, we have been so impressed by their mission, organization and communication. The structure of their program is built for sustainability and long-term success for the girls that they support. In addition, a group of our members visited Guatemala and our sponsor group in March of this year. The trip was truly life-changing for our travelers. We had the opportunity to get to know the Starfish team in Guatemala, interact with families and get a true picture of the challenges that families face. We also got to see the true benefit of this program first hand. I consider it a true honor to work with this organization and will tell anyone who will listen all about it!

A kind group of people with a purpose that makes a big difference. Connects donors to recipients with personal letters, pictures and drawings. Great for my children to have these to make the connection.

I had the pleasure of being hired to produce a short promotional film for Starfish One by One on location in Guatemala. It was the most rewarding experience of my working life, and one I will never forget. The organization is doing great work with an inspiring group of young people. I hope they can continue to offer support, and grow as an organization, helping more young people get the education they rightly deserve. Thanks to everyone at Starfish and good luck to all of the students!

I first heard of the Starfish program from a friend who serves on the Board and immediately loved the concept of the work being done by this organization. Then, I visited Guatemala myself and met some of the girls (including the one I get to sponsor), as well as their in-country mentors, parents and siblings. After that first-hand experience, I am blown away by the difference Starfish is making in the lives of these children, their family and the greater community. The Mentorship Program enhances their current public education, offers them the skills of clear communication, sound judgement and self esteem. The difference made to one child's life in this program is truly amazing, and ripples through the family and community. I highly recommend getting involved with Starfish in any capacity you desire. In addition to making a difference in a child's life, you will gain much personally.

Starfish One by One demonstrates a continual focus on quality over quantity. Through its unique blend of scholarship and mentorship, it really does promote and develop leaders that will change the landscape of their communities. I have been impressed by the dedication and heartfelt expertise of the Guatemalan staff.

This is a fabulous organization that helps educate young Mayan girls that show great promise for continuing their education after public school ends at a young age. The mentors for the girls are Mayan women who discuss life skills + school work, etc. It is very exciting to see the change that takes place in their self esteem, etc. after just one year in the Starfish program. Before the girls are enrolled in the program, there are in depth interviews with the families to ensure the parents' full support for educating their daughters.

I firmly believe that education is the key to changing lives. Starfish offers that possibility for Mayan girls and boys who would otherwise not have an opportunity to continue past grade school. I personally support 4 children and receive letters from them with explanations of their family and school lives that also include charming drawings. My most recent letters speak of job goals( for example, Victor wants to be a skilled accountant) and I hear increasing levels of confidence in their voices. I am so uplifted by what the mentors and students do together. One example is a field trip students took to a museum in Guatemala City. This is a common occurrence for students in our country but not so in rural Guatemala. Just the experience of being on a bus riding to the city was educational. Imagine what they saw and learned at the national museum! In my opinion the linch pin in this organization is the indigenous mentors and the help, love and guidance they give to their small groups of students weekly. They give that helping hand of friendship and hope to these wonderful children and enable these kids to believe in themselves. I think so highly of Starfish One by One that I am now on the advisory board. I encourage others to support this wonderful organization that offers a hand up and not hand out. One of my favorite expressions comes from Thornton Wilder who said " Money is like manure. It doesn't do much good unless it is spread around for young things to grow."

I am a Gringa living here in Guatemala. In my earlier work with an NGO I came to realize the desperate need for an education that offers critical thinking. The Ning's, through Starfish are doing just that for a small group of young women who have the will and the intelligence to step up and out of a life of poverty and to help others to do so as well. The Mentorship Program compliments their current public education, offers them the skills of clear communication, sound judgement and self esteem. It brings tears to my eyes to see a young woman who, three years ago could barely lift her head to say hello to a stranger now entering a room, looking at everyone there and beginning to speak with knowledge and confidence. I just wish that we could clone the Nings and their capable Mentors a thousand times over for all young women in Guatemala and everywhere who want to change their lives and the lives of others.

I am such a big fan of this charity because as a woman born in South America, I have personally witnessed the poverty and lack of opportunity for girls. I love the work that Starfish is doing in Guatemala with girls- empowering them through education and giving them the tools and self confidence they need to help themselves. They can then give back to their communities and families and break the cycle of poverty.

I fell in love with the idea behind Starfish One by One: making a difference one person at a time by educating adolescent girls. Starfish targets the most at risk and deprived individuals: rural Mayan adolescent girls who, without the help of scholarships, peer support, and mentor support, would not be able to finish jr high - high school. These very girls ALSO have more potential than anyone else in their communities to bring lasting, positive change. By getting an education, they will marry later, have fewer children, and invest their added income into their communities. A persistent effort in this direction has the potential to heal the whole culture of its most damaging problems, all of which stem from oppression and poverty. The most distinguishing aspect of Starfish One by One's program, though, is the centrality of the Starfish Mentors, who are all rural Mayan women (except for one male mentor who works with Starfish's groups of boys- boys are less at risk thangirls, but still marginalized and oppressed). The Mentors are college educated, and yet have overcome the same obstacles that Starfish students face. They speak the same dialect as their Mayan students. They guide the youngsters through their education step by step, working with them in froups of 15 at least once a week outside of the regular classroom. I met these Mentors. They are multilingual, passionate, energetic, unbelievably organized and utterly devoted to providing leadership and support to each student. I'm completely convinced of the power of this program. I had to resign as their art director because of the demands of being a mother, but if not for that I would continue to work for Starfish on a volunteer basis. I hope to have the privelege of being useful to these wonderful people again someday. I visited some of the Starfish students this past January, and saw for myself what the girls are up against, as well as the tremendous hope and energy they experience as Starfish scholarship students. These girls would do anything to finish school. It is their hope, for their own futures and for their families. I met the young woman who I have the honor of sponsoring; her name is Dolores. In Mayan families girls like Dolores are expected to take care of younger siblings (she is one of 7 or 8 children) and do household chores; that is why most girls are not allowed to continue to go to school past 6th grade. Dolores keeps up all her household chores, and studies after she has finished. It is a long day. Dolores, like all the other girls I met, also has a long walk to a pick-up spot where she rides in the back of a truck to school. Going to school for these girls is a sacrifice and a hardship. But they want it , desperately. Another young woman, Jeronima, is 20 (many girls must interrupt their studies to help aging or sick parents or siblings)and is finishing her high school degree. Since she is the only person in her village who speaks Spanish, she has begun to advocate on behalf of her village for better roads, better access. She is going to be an agent of change in her community. These girls are going to change their world. This is how they will rise, on their own, out of the poverty and marginalization that has been inflicted on them by corrupt, cruel governments for generations.

I visited Starfish in January 2010 along with four other Rotarians. We went to the homes of four families, all of whom have daughters in the program (described elsewhere by other reviewers), and saw first hand the economic plight of these girls. We visited the learning center in Pana and met there the staff and about 15 other Starfish girls. Ted, Connie and Travis Ning are visionaries, each with a heart for service and willing hands to do the work. They're gifts to the world, and Starfish is an example of the concrete ways in which our gifts can be passed forward.

We met Ted and Connie Ning of Evergreen, Colorado through a mutual friend. Over dinner one evening Ted and Connie told us about "Starfish One by One." We appreciated their vision for empowering young Mayan girls in Guatemala. We were intrigued and wanted to see firsthand how this was being done. In January 2010, along with our mutual friends, we spent a week in Guatemala with Ted, Connie, their son Travis, and several of their local leaders. It was a wonderful experience and we hope to return and offer ourselves as volunteers for short-term service. During our visit, Travis, the local director, provided us with many opportunities to meet and interact with the local leaders and the young Mayan women they served. The goal of Starfish One by One is to provide relational and financial support that will enable these teenagers to continue their education beyond 6th grade. The philosophy is simple yet powerful: if you educate women you can change the world. Educated women have better economic opportunities, have fewer children, provide better nutrition for their families, all of which improve communities, countries, and the world. These young women were chosen by their teachers because they have great potential and are financially the most in need. Families must also agree to be supportive of their daughter as she pursues her education. Starfish One by One provides scholarship help and weekly mentoring groups. The mentors are local Mayan women who are college educated and who know well the Mayan culture and the challenges ahead for these young women. They meet with the young women at least weekly to provide tutoring assistance, personal support, goal setting, and a great deal of encouragement. We had the privilege of meeting the mentors, observing several mentoring groups, and talking with the families whose daughters were in the program. We were very impressed with the quality of the local leaders and mentors. As we interacted with the families, there was great sensitivity and respect from the Starfish One by One staff. And there was a great deal of appreciation and affection from the families for the opportunity given to their daughter to continue her education. All in all, the vision of the Nings, the high quality of the local staff and mentors, the gratitude and support of the families, and the contagious enthusiasm of the young girls are some of the reasons that we are enthusiastically sharing our experience with Starfish One by One. We are surely going to return and be continually supportive of this tremendous work. Doug and Jeannie Amidon, Carlsbad, CA

Starfish One by One offers scholarships and mentorships to help Mayan girls get an education so they can ultimately break the cycle of poverty. Girls in that culture are not encouraged to get an education. Starfish not only offers financial assistance, but mentors to help offer counseling and academic encouragemenet for families who do not support education for girls, or do not know how to provide academic support because they never got an education. I sponsor 2 girls and frequently exchange e-mails with one of them. She updates me on her progress and always tells me how grateful she is to already be the most educated person in her family--and she's only in 6th grade! This is a very hands-on organization and the founders and mentors work very hard to stay involved in the girls' lives and abreast of personal and academic happenings so they can continue to help them stay in the program. Great organization! Great people!