The Mountain School needs your help.
The Mountain School does not have enough water to sustain itself.
A decades-long water agreement between the Mountain School and the community of Santo Domingo has ended, leaving the school without sufficient water to operate. Currently the school is receiving a small share of water from Nuevo San José and rain water, which together are not enough to sustain the school’s operation long term. According to a recent water study, there is an aquifer near the entrance to the school, and a well into that aquifer would supply enough water to meet the school’s needs.
The mission of La Montaña Fund is to support rural community development in the Department of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, through art, education, health, and literacy. Although a water project for the school does not fit within this mission, it is the opinion of the La Montaña Fund Board that we cannot pursue our mission if the school no longer exists. And the communities will suffer if the school is no longer able to provide work for so many.
Therefore, we have agreed to partner with PLQ, the Mountain School’s parent organization, by seeking donations for this well for the school. The estimate we have now for the well, the receptacle, pipes and pump is Q100,000, or about $13,100. Can you support this project? Even a small amount will move us toward our goal of $6,550. You can donate here.
The communities are also struggling with low water supply. The La Montaña Fund Board is committed to helping, and we will be reaching out to NGOs in Guatemala and pursuing all other avenues we can identify.
About the Mountain School
La Escuela de la Montaña is a Spanish language school in Guatemala that gives students the opportunity to experience rural life while they study. During your time here you will receive quality Spanish language instruction while developing an awareness of the social, political and economic realities of Guatemala and Central America. Students at La Escuela de la Montaña stay in the main school building and take their meals with local Mayan families.
For most students, the experience at The Mountain School is one they will never forget. The relationships formed with families and teachers can last a lifetime. Many students return again and again to visit their Guatemalan “family” and refresh their Spanish study.
Our school is committed to improving the quality of life for our neighbors. Your stay at La Escuela de la Montaña benefits the local communities by providing them work at a fair wage and by supporting our community projects: the scholarships program, the community library, Arte en El Campo (free art and music classes for kids and youth), and the Coffee Project. The school donates a small portion of your tuition towards these projects, but donations from former students and friends of the school provide most of the support.
The school occupies 2.5 acres of lush grounds full of flowers and trees, on what used to be a small coffee plantation (or finca). We continue to cultivate coffee on a portion of our property.
Become an ambassador for the school!
95% of all Mountain School students come because someone they know told them about us. Please tell your friends, review us online, and share your experience on social media!
Read about La Montaña Fund, our U.S. nonprofit organization supporting community projects.