UPDATE: Students have started classes, the school is almost complete, and our campaign is almost done!  As a board, we need to raise an additional $37,500 by the end of May. This final push will go towards solar panels, school garden, and capacity building for our student/family support team. Can you help me meet my goal?

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My family is full of teachers.  I had the opportunity to attend a good public school and then went on to study at Brown, Oxford, and NYU Stern where I built tools to help me succeed and friendships to help me thrive. I worked for 8 years for a company dedicated to opening the world through education.  I am so so lucky.  Here in the US, we are far from gender equality and even farther from equal access to education, but at least girls get to go to school. 

In rural Guatemala, most girls are pulled out of school after just a few years of elementary school.  They can't go because they need to work at home.  They can't go because they need to cook and care for their younger siblings.  They can't go because it isn't safe.  They can't go to school because they are girls.

In 2009, I traveled to Chajul, Guatemala to volunteer with a fledgling non-profit that was piloting a scholarship program to send a few girls to middle school.  There was a small library, tutoring services and one staff member.  Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI) was still finding its feet as an organization but it was co-founded by a local,  deeply rooted in the community and dedicated to growing in a sustainable way.  Over the past 12 years, I've watched LHI support 226 students, build a local staff full of indigenous women, and create hope in Chajul.  The direct impact on this small town is so powerful and has meant more to me than any of the big organizations I've supported.  Last year, I joined the Board of Directors to deepen my own commitment and help LHI move into it's next phase.  

LHI is at a precipice.  We've hit a cap on the impact we can have on the community through school partnerships.  Our local team reports that the greatest community need and biggest challenge facing children to day is a lack of quality schools.  Chajul's schools are plagued with overcrowded classrooms, allegations of abuse, and poor instructional methods.  We have been compensating for these inadequacies. 

After much research and due diligence, LHI decided to tackle this challenge by creating a new middle and high school and bringing the infrastructure for high-quality and culturally-responsive education to Chajul.  We expect graduates to be able to access jobs that are currently inaccessible to them, and also to create jobs and take on leadership roles where they can influence the future of their community.  With stable wages they can break the cycle of poverty and create economic opportunities for others. Educated girls strengthen communities and economies for generations and raise healthier families. 

LHI has bought land, started construction, hired local teachers, and engaged in rigorous capacity building efforts.  Our team has done the hard work of planning a game-changing opportunity for their community, but they can't do it alone.  To open the doors of the school in 2022, they need our investment. 

I'm all in, and have committed my time and philanthropy to help make it happen. I know this is an extraordinary opportunity to invest in a better future, be a part of a global movement to empower girls and women, and build essential, catalytic infrastructure in the developing world.  My personal goal is to raise at least $30,000 for this project. 

Will you join me?

P.S.  If you prefer to donate stocks (and save money on taxes) let me know - this is what I do!

P.P.S.  If you are based out of the US, you may receive an error message from JustGiving - I am so sorry!  Please go to this page to make your gift instead. https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/LimitlessHorizonsIxil/school.html Add a comment that it should be credited to my page and we'll take care of it ASAP.