Glasswing International
Think Human Fund
Mission & History
Country Information
Guatemala invests only 2.8% of its GDP in education, which is below the regional average. This limited funding, coupled with inefficiencies, has negatively impacted learning outcomes, with only 40% of sixth graders meeting reading standards. Additionally, many Guatemalan youth do not complete high school; 41% of teens aged 13-18 are out of school, rising to 61% in the Western Highlands. Although universities are expanding into rural areas, fewer than 10% of young people enroll in college due to various barriers.
The Need in 2026
The community in Zone 8 of Guatemala City relies heavily on the informal economy, which poses significant challenges for educational engagement, especially for girls. Economic pressures, coupled with traditional gender norms, force many girls to leave school prematurely. This project seeks to counteract these issues by promoting school retention, emotional well-being, and family support for education, thereby disrupting cycles of exclusion and opening doors for future opportunities.
The Project We Fund
The Community Schools for Change project, supported by Glasswing International, employs a holistic approach to reduce dropout rates and enhance educational access for girls in Guatemala. The project includes extracurricular clubs, a student leadership program, family engagement initiatives, and academic support clubs. It aims to foster creativity, resilience, and key life skills among students while encouraging family and community support for education.
The Result
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The Project We Fund in 2024
Glasswing’s Community Schools program transforms public schools in high-risk areas into secure “centers of community,” enhancing education and development by focusing on life skills, relationship-building, and academic performance. Since 2016, Glasswing has been active at Bertha Herrera de Ruano School in Mixco, providing essential extracurricular programs for over 300 students in a region affected by violence. Currently, Glasswing offers Math, Language, Glee, and English clubs, benefiting 100 students and 50 parents. With support from the Think Human Foundation, they plan to introduce Art, Discovery, Sports, and Homework Clubs, which will reach an additional 95 students and 100 parents. The program also promotes student leadership through activities like school clean-ups and open forums, while engaging parents in monthly activities to strengthen community ties.
The Result
Glasswing’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation, and Learning (MEAL) Department ensures program quality by tracking activities, processes, and key indicators, allowing for real-time adjustments. The M&E team uses the Glasswing Data System to monitor participant registration, volunteer hours, and service continuity, and conducts random site visits to verify data accuracy. After each program, Glasswing administers surveys to students, parents, caregivers, and school staff to gather feedback. Impact is assessed using the following metrics: number of participants in each club, number of volunteers involved and attendance of parents and caregivers at Community Cafés.
2025 Midterm Report
Glasswing International in Guatemala is focusing on enhancing community engagement and educational opportunities. The report reveals that 174 direct beneficiaries and 1,435 indirect beneficiaries have been positively impacted through various initiatives.
Activities such as extracurricular clubs and community cafés have been significant in fostering a vibrant community environment, with direct testimonies highlighting the engagement of parents in school activities, like mural painting and playground improvements.
The initiative not only promotes educational benefits but also strengthens family relationships by involving parents in active roles within the school’s activities.
Overall, the project underlines an impressive collective effort towards building a supportive and resilient community, with testimonies confirming increased confidence and resilience among beneficiaries.
Testimonies
“The playground games are very nice, and the children are using them a lot. The parents are happy with how beautiful the school looks; these actions help motivate the children to come to school.” – School Principal-
“We have carried out activities with parents. They participated in creating a mural for the school, playground games, and in Community Cafés. The children look happy when playing before class, just like during recess; all the students from different grades are using them, and some wear and tear is already visible; they are very useful. Parents have become so involved that they are now participating in school activities.” – School Coordinator-
2025 Annual Report
The project, titled “Community School for Change,” is based in Guatemala and has directly benefited 316 individuals, including students, teachers, parents, and volunteers. The impact of the project includes increasing student engagement beyond initial targets, enhancing educational and social skills through extracurricular clubs, and promoting community involvement, reflecting strong youth commitment and leadership.
Testimonies
“Darwin was much more excited about attending school and genuinely happy to participate in the club. As a result, his grades improved considerably, reflecting the increase in his motivation to attend school regularly and dedicate himself to studying every day.”
-Dora Fernández Gutiérrez, mother of Darwin Fernández-
“Eduardo’s participation in the English club greatly motivated him, and he was very happy because his club won second place in the English competition. He would like to have one more hour of classes next year to continue improving in the language.”
-Alba Vásquez, mother of Eduardo Aguilar-
“I participated in two community cafés, which I really enjoyed and which helped me improve my relationship with my children. My daughter took part in the dance club, and I saw how happy she was. I hope she can participate in the clubs again next year.” -Maria Aguilar, family member-
