Reading Village

Informed by evidence and refined through ten years of experience, we work in rural, indigenous communities in Guatemala to leverage youth development, literacy and education to interrupt the cycle of generational poverty in rural Guatemala. Our interdisciplinary Leaders and Readers Program empowers teens to be a generation of leaders creating a generation of readers behind them, and in doing so supports communities to thrive under their own resources and creativity. 
 
We value the trust that our partner communities place in us and are committed to refining the very best research-based program curriculum. Building a world-class experience for youth leadership development requires both the rigor to subject our assumptions to leading-edge research, as well as, the courage to forge new ground and challenge social norms in Guatemala that limit what Mayan teens (particularly girls) can become. And, it is this belief which drives us as we move into the future and work to both deepen and broaden our impact. 
 
Some of the principles that guide us in how we work with teens include:

• We begin with their reality.
• We focus on strengths.
• We create an affirming environment.
• We make the act of community service transformational.
• We facilitate experiential learning.
• We ask questions more than we provide answers.
• We entrust young people with power.

By focusing energy and resources on our program curriculum with these guiding principles in mind, we remain committed to the youth and communities we serve as we work to build human capital in Guatemala. As we celebrate 10 years of impact, we celebrate the 108 youth leaders who have participated in this program: attending high school, developing their leadership skills and collectively reading to more than 10,000 young children and countless community members in their mission to eradicate illiteracy and move their communities out of poverty. 

Thank you for your partnership in this important work,
The Reading Village Team