Education Guatemala Project #64961

Student-Led Green Building Projects

by Long Way Home, Inc.

Project Report | Feb 21, 2025
Ready for 2025 Student Projects

By Matthew Paneitz | Executive Director

Building a dry compost latrine with Ecobricks!

In May 2025 the Hero School students, teachers, green builders, and our partners will combine forces to build 6 smoke-safe stoves, 2 water tanks, a dry compost latrine, a retaining wall, and a classroom. The 155 people who benefit directly from this infrastructure. These projects not only improve the quality of life for the people who receive the infrastructure projects but also for the students and teachers doing the actual implementation. In Comalapa, 52% of students attend school past the 6th grade and only 7% of that population even enrolls in high school. Most families cannot afford middle and high school tuition or the cost of school supplies. As a result, children leave school and dedicate their lives to trying to fulfill basic survival needs. Gender disparities also play a role in educational outcomes. Women are more likely to be forced to leave school at an early age, which exacerbates inequality. Without quality education, people lack the skills, knowledge, and confidence to address poverty and environmental issues in their community. The challenges faced by Guatemala, particularly in communities like Comalapa, highlight the critical need for transformative education models that address social, economic, and environmental inequalities affecting the populations served. These issues are intertwined with STEM education, especially for women of color who are disproportionately impacted. Expanding access to quality education and vocational training in STEM fields can empower these underserved populations to address their unique challenges with innovative solutions.

Building a dry compost latrine with Ecobricks #2

Team work picture!

Smoke-safe stoves construction!

7th grade team work!

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Oct 25, 2024
Student-Led Green Building Projects

By Mishell Guoz | Outreach Coordinator

Rural and low-income communities are the first to be seriously impacted by climate change and environmental degradation. Centro Educativo Técnico Chixot (CETC) student projects are tangible and relevant solutions to some of the infrastructure challenges in Comalapa households. This model’s curriculum satisfies national education requirements while also utilizing the green construction process to teach the principles of active community participation and environmental awareness.

With the permission of the community, students and teachers built stoves, latrines, and water tanks in Comalapa and presented these projects to a neighboring community. CETC students conducted a survey in Social Studies class to evaluate living conditions from home to home. In math class, they then designed their assigned project: stove, water tank or latrine. At the end of the school year, the students went to the chosen place to construct their project for a family identified in the survey. Students work with teachers, builders, and volunteers to actualize their projects. They graduate with tangible work experience relevant to bringing community development.

Since curriculum implementation in 2017, students have constructed 39 smoke-efficient stoves, 25 water tanks, 4 compost latrines, and 2 tire retaining walls.With these projects, students help to reduce respiratory illness; implement waste management systems to reduce gastrointestinal illness; and improve access to potable water.

Our students become educators when they share lessons learned at school with their families. They bring the eco-conscious concepts and methods that they learn on our campus to improve waste management practices and sustainable living approaches in their own homes. Content and learning are relevant to context and oriented towards progress through action. This ensures that students cultivate critical problem-posing and solving skills in order to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, economic injustice, and environmental degradation.

We look forward to continuing having your amazing support with donations. It is the base of our job, with those we plan to continue the building on Classroom 8 out of eco bricks, cob and plastic material. We are also starting on a tire retention wall to support the road going from comalapa to the school, for the goal of keeping a safe path for students and locals; plus, we are getting ready for graduation since thanks to you, the student projects were successfully completed.

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