Maestros Que Dejan Huella

Impulsera

Maestros Que Dejan Huella

Empowering teachers to lead community-driven solutions and transform learning in underserved Latin American schools.

Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

MEX

Nonprofit

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In Mexico, only 15% of university projects address real social problems (ANUIES, 2023), despite 42 million people living in poverty (CONEVAL, 2023). Teachers lack tools, training, and networks to guide students in solving local challenges. This limits innovation, deepens inequality, and perpetuates cycles of poverty — especially in rural and marginalized areas where over 70% of communities depend on government subsidies (CEPAL, 2023). Latin America invests less than 0.5% of its GDP in research and development, far below the global average of 1.79% (World Bank, 2021). Without investing in educators as change agents, education remains disconnected from community realities. We address this gap by empowering teachers to lead innovation projects with students, creating sustainable, community-driven solutions that improve local economies, social cohesion, and access to basic rights. Globally, with only 17% of the SDG targets on track (UN, 2024), investing in education for social innovation is urgent.

Maestros que Dejan Huella (MQDH) is an innovation platform that transforms education into a catalyst for social and economic development. It empowers teachers to lead real-world projects with their students that solve local challenges — but it goes beyond training. MQDH integrates a digital learning platform, mentoring, and a collaborative community that connects educators with universities, local governments, private sector partners, and NGOs. Through systems thinking and project-based methodologies, teachers and students design and implement solutions that address community needs — from health to education, sustainability, or economic inclusion. These projects are not isolated actions — they are designed to scale into social enterprises capable of generating new dynamics of local development, rebuilding social fabric, and creating economic opportunities. MQDH benefits not only teachers and students but also the wider community, who become direct beneficiaries of the solutions created. It enhances universities by activating new knowledge transfer models, inspiring other faculty and students, and creating local impact ecosystems. Moreover, MQDH provides a platform of influence and visibility — amplifying projects, connecting changemakers, and promoting new narratives of community-driven innovation. It’s not just a program — it’s a movement to turn schools into engines of transformation and social entrepreneurship.

MQDH directly serves teachers in public and private high schools and universities in Mexico — many of whom work in underserved, rural, or marginalized communities with limited resources, training, and access to innovation ecosystems. These educators often face systemic barriers that disconnect education from real-life problem-solving, leaving students unprepared for local challenges. Through MQDH, teachers gain tools, networks, and methodologies to lead community-driven innovation projects with their students. This transforms their role from knowledge transmitters to active changemakers within their schools and communities. Indirectly, MQDH impacts students — who develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and entrepreneurship — and community members, who benefit from real solutions to their problems, such as access to clean water, health services, or local economic initiatives. Universities also benefit, as teachers generate new knowledge-sharing dynamics, fostering a culture of applied learning and collaboration across faculty and students. Ultimately, MQDH addresses the isolation of teachers, the lack of community engagement in education, and the disconnect between universities and local development. It transforms classrooms into innovation labs and creates social enterprises that generate lasting economic and social impact in vulnerable regions.