We are deeply grateful to share that, thanks to your generosity, we reached our $5,000 fundraising goal in our “Educate and Empower Maya Youth: Challenge Grant”! Because of your incredible support, Q’eqchi’ Association Xch’ool Ixim (Heart of Corn) just received an additional $5,000 in matching funds, from the Cushing Foundation, doubling the impact of your contributions.

Receiving matching grant funds to support digital literacy will significantly expand education, employment, and leadership opportunities for Indigenous youth. Combined with culturally grounded learning, digital literacy empowers Q’eqchi’ youth to document their heritage, share Indigenous knowledge, and participate more fully in a rapidly changing world.

Your commitment sustains our work to strengthen Q’eqchi’ communities, preserve our cultural heritage, and create opportunities rooted in dignity and self-determination. This milestone reflects your belief in our mission and in the power of Indigenous-led change.

While we will continue to raise funds for our computer vocational programs, we are very excited to announce the launch of our next campaign to revitalize Maya language and culture.

The Problem:

Maya communities face the rapid loss of language, traditional knowledge, and cultural practices due to centuries of marginalization, limited educational resources, and pressures of globalization.

Our Solution:

Offer bilingual Q’eqchi’–Spanish education to strengthen cultural identity and pride among Maya youth, and develop a Maya Cultural Center where Spiritual Guides share oral narratives and teach customs, rituals, and worldview. Our programs also integrate Maya cultural education into school curricula and utilize bilingual volumes of Maya legends collected 50 years ago. These efforts preserve ancestral knowledge, revitalize language, and ensure the continuity of Maya heritage for future generations.

We will officially launch the Maya Language and Revitalization campaign on December 2^nd,  Giving Tuesday. We hope you will mark your calendars for our next matching campaign and think of us on Giving Tuesday.

From all of us at Xch’ool Ixim — b’anyox aawe – Thank you! Together, we are sowing seeds for a stronger future.

With heartfelt gratitude,