Shared Offering

July 2025 Shared Offering

Our Shared Offering recipient for the month of July is MAIA Impact School (MAIA).

MAIA Impact School - Unleashing the transformative power of indigenous women to create a society of equity and opportunity

So often our work in immigrant justice is driven by a need to respond to the immediate consequences of unjust or inhuman policies. Spurred by a crisis, we provide temporary housing, food or support services for our immigrant neighbors as they navigate the challenges of a broken and often cruel immigration system. Yet social and economic conditions at home continue to drive many to make the dangerous journey from their homeland to seek a better life for themselves and their families in the U.S. How can we respond to the root causes forcing
people to flee their country? This month’s Shared Offering gives us a rare opportunity to address the immigration crisis on a more permanent, systemic level.

MAIA Impact School is Central America’s first secondary school designed for indigenous young women from rural communities, with the aim of connecting them with 21st-century opportunities. MAIA serves approximately 250 Girl Pioneers in grades 7-11, redefining education in rural Guatemala by prioritizing academics, culture, well-being, reproductive health, socio-emotional intelligence, and personal development. Every Girl Pioneer receives a full scholarship, two daily meals, books, supplies, uniforms, and hygiene kits. Unlocking the potential of young Mayan women is a key step in improving conditions for themselves and their country.

A growing body of data shows a cascade of positive outcomes associated with girls’ education. Literally every area of development–from improving community health, creating economic stability, to upholding civil rights, is dramatically improved when girls participate fully in society.

Guatemala is a country with one of the worst gender equity gaps in the Americas and has the lowest level of female political participation in the hemisphere. Less than twenty percent of indigenous girls graduate from secondary school, and less than one percent continue on to a university. Predictable cycles of early and frequent pregnancy create shackles of intergenerational poverty that feed forced migration.

MAIA’s program is both innovative and effective, working to increase women’s leadership at all levels of society. When Mayan girls are able to match their talent and ambition with new learning opportunities and experiences, their lives take on a bold new trajectory, one that will affect the lives of generations to come. 

Caring for our immigrant neighbors in crisis is essential, but so is addressing the root causes that drive people to flee their country in the first place. Empowering young, indigenous women is foundational to this process. Watch our special video and give generously to this month’s Shared Offering recipient, MAIA Impact School.