Across Guatemala, having a safe, solid classroom space is a huge key for giving every student a real shot at crushing their education. According to national data from UNICEF and the World Bank, while primary school enrollment hits over 88% nationwide, severe room shortages still impact public schools, with over 56% of the country living below the poverty line ¹ ². In rural and predominantly Indigenous regions—where poverty rates climb past 66%—thousands of primary students have to study in cramped, makeshift, or drafty rooms ³. Expanding permanent classroom blocks in these agricultural towns is a major priority to make sure growing student bodies get to learn in cool, safe, and welcoming spaces ⁴.
In the mountainous Quetzaltenango department of western Guatemala, severe resource shortages and crowded school campuses put heavy strain on local education ³. Regional planning data shows that 67.3% of the population in Quetzaltenango lives in poverty—way above the national average—with rural farming communities facing the toughest challenges ⁴. At one local school serving 250 total students from kindergarten through sixth grade, a room shortage creates disruptions for older grade levels. Without enough dedicated physical classrooms, fifth and sixth graders are squeezed into tight learning conditions that make focusing on lessons super tough for growing kids.
This summer, the campus is getting a major upgrade as HXP Builders head to the job site to construct a brand-new, permanent double-classroom block built specifically for fifth and sixth graders. This project immediately moves 50 upper-elementary students out of cramped conditions and into dedicated learning spaces, eliminating daily disruptions, freeing up room across the entire campus, and creating an empowering sanctuary where all 250 local children can thrive for years to come.