Selected
Learning for Girls & Women

Indigenous Girls Leading Transformational Change

Maya Girl Pioneers in Guatemala break a culture of silence through an empowered voice amplified by technology, education, and mentorship.

Team Leader
Martha Lidia Oxi Chuy
Maya Girl Pioneers in Guatemala break a culture of silence through an empowered voice amplified by technology, education, and mentorship.

The Problem

Emerging from a 36-year civil war and facing 60% poverty, Guatemala must harness the talent of its entire population to build a stronger future. Yet rural Maya girls remain excluded. Trapped by undereducation, racism, and intergenerational poverty, they represent one of Guatemala’s greatest untapped sources of talent.

The Solution

MAIA's Impact School aims to catapult talented young Mayan women from the shadows into leadership positions. MAIA's innovative student-centered school includes a family engagement program that ensures that students achieve success with their families, not in spite of them. Prior to COVID-related restrictions, MAIA students were achieving two years of academic growth for every one year of schooling. The onset of COVID-19 accelerated MAIA's use of technology prompting them to deliver internet-equipped tablets to all MAIA students, allowing them to broadcast their voices, perspectives, and leadership into new spheres.

Stats

MAIA's Indigenous Girls Leading Transformational Change program has engaged 3,410 Indigenous girls, women, and community members.

What is the name of your organization?
MAIA
What is the name of your solution?
Indigenous Girls Leading Transformational Change
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Maya Girl Pioneers in Guatemala break a culture of silence through an empowered voice amplified by technology, education, and mentorship.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Solola
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
—
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
—
What specific problem are you solving?
Emerging from a 36-year civil war and facing 60% poverty, Guatemala must harness the talent of its entire population to build a stronger future. Yet rural Maya girls remain excluded. Trapped by undereducation, racism, and intergenerational poverty, they represent one of Guatemala’s greatest untapped sources of talent.
What is your solution?
MAIA's Impact School aims to catapult talented young Mayan women from the shadows into leadership positions. MAIA's innovative student-centered school includes a family engagement program that ensures that students achieve success with their families, not in spite of them. Prior to COVID-related restrictions, MAIA students were achieving two years of academic growth for every one year of schooling. The onset of COVID-19 accelerated MAIA's use of technology prompting them to deliver internet-equipped tablets to all MAIA students, allowing them to broadcast their voices, perspectives, and leadership into new spheres.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
MAIA is one of the few organizations in Guatemala designed, led, and run by Maya women from the same communities as the Girl Pioneers. Students see themselves reflected in leadership and faculty, most of whom speak Kaqchikel, the primary language of families with limited formal schooling. Monthly home visits ensure strong parental engagement and shared commitment. Many staff are the most educated members of their own families and deeply understand the barriers their students face. This lived experience grounds MAIA’s empathy-driven, human-centered design. As a learning organization, MAIA continuously adapts through external partnerships, annual impact audits, and active student government feedback.

Organization Type:
Nonprofit

Headquarters:
Solola, Guatemala

Stage:
Growth

Working In:
Guatemala

Solution Website:
www.maiaimpact.org

Solution Team:
Martha Lidia Oxi Chuy
Martha Lidia Oxi Chuy
MAIA Co- Executive Director - External Relationship