This is How We Started. And Now…

"We do not yet know where this journey will lead, but we are excited to walk alongside this community…"

— IEP, October 2017

El Molino School, Tecpán — October 2017

Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities come when we least expect them. In October 2017, following a mission trip, our team had leftover food and wanted to make sure it reached families who could benefit from it. As we distributed food in the Tecpán area, we were introduced to El Molino School — a small rural school serving children from some of the most vulnerable families in the community.

What we discovered moved us deeply. Approximately 150 children, ranging from one year old through sixth grade, attended classes in just three small classrooms. Limited space, scarce resources, and overcrowded learning environments created daily challenges for both students and teachers. Yet despite these obstacles, we witnessed something truly inspiring: a community that valued education and educators committed to helping their students succeed.

That visit marked the beginning of our Education Pillar — and our commitment to investing in the future of children through the power of education. We didn't yet know where the journey would lead. But we stayed.

And now…

Today, we have had multiple graduation classes — something we could barely picture in those first months at El Molino. Students who started with us as children have completed high school. Some have gone on to university. Others are now working professionals, including waiters, cooks and software developers who learned the skills through our Esperanza Center and MangoChango Academy and are now building careers in technology.

Vocational training was never part of the original plan. When we walked into those three classrooms in 2017, we were thinking about desks and books and safe spaces to learn. We were not thinking about INTECAP partnerships, trade certifications, or a generation of young Guatemalans with marketable skills and real career paths. But that is exactly what happened — because when you invest in a community and you stay, the possibilities expand in ways you never anticipated.

This has grown far beyond what we dreamed of at the very beginning. What started as a single act of showing up has become a full educational pathway — from early childhood all the way through vocational diplomas and university preparation. And the most meaningful part? The students who walked those classrooms years ago are now walking into their futures.

Education at IEP has never been about a single moment — it has always been about what comes next. From three classrooms in Tecpán to a full school, a vocational center, and a technology academy, every step has been taken alongside the families and communities who believed change was possible. We are so grateful we showed up that day.