In Alotenango, Guatemala, a long-awaited dream is becoming reality. This December, Fe y Alegría Guatemala will inaugurate the Centro Educativo Fe y Alegría #56 – Semillas de Fe (Seeds of Faith), a school built on inclusion, hope, and resilience. This is a moment that has been in the making for years, a dream for children who have long been left out of the classroom and for the community that refused to leave them behind.
The construction of the Seeds of Faith school has been supported by American Jesuits International and a global network of partners. Along the way, the story of this community has truly touched our hearts. The new Seeds of Faith School is more than a building. It is a promise: every child has a right to quality education, no matter their challenges to learn or their physical abilities.
One teacher spoke to the long road to this milestone saying simply, “Ha sido un recorrido, pero ha valido la pena.” It has been a journey, but it has been worth it.
Growing Out of Volcanic Ash
The story of Seeds of Faith school began with a bang. On June 3, 2018, the Fuego volcano erupted, devastating communities closest to its slopes and spreading chaos throughout the region. Jessenya Sicajol, the school’s director, remembered the impacts vividly:
“Around here, we only had some rocks and soot falling on us,” she said, half-joking. “We were scared, to be honest. Rocks were falling, the roads were gray, and everything was covered in soot — the people, the houses, everything turned gray.”
The eruption upended the education system in the area as well. Classes in Alotenango were temporarily held in tents on the local soccer field, with students receiving only four hours of instruction per week. Amid this crisis, a local parish group stepped up to support children left without access to school. A volunteer-led initiative organized local families and teachers to support primary students from indigenous communities who were struggling to learn Spanish in overcrowded, under-resourced schools. Over time, the group started to attend to over-age students and children with disabilities as well.
“They wanted to help and knew that students needed support,” Jessenya explained. “The parish group began offering tutoring for the children in the area. Even then, from the very beginning, students with disabilities were part of the group.”
This was also the moment Fe y Alegría Guatemala first connected with the community. Julio Perez, Development Manager for Fe y Alegría Guatemala, recalled delivering donated supplies after the eruption:
“When we arrived, the streets were packed. Someone saw our logo and shouted, ‘Let them through — they’re with Fe y Alegría!’ They opened a path all the way to the parish. While we unloaded the truck, the priest came out and asked, ‘What does Fe y Alegría do?’ I told him, ‘We work in education.’ He smiled and said, ‘We have a group of educators here — maybe you can help us.’ That’s how our partnership began.”
Building a School Through a Pandemic
By 2019, six volunteer teachers were tutoring students regularly. Despite working tirelessly, they earned little to nothing — as little as 400 quetzales (about $50 USD) per month.
At that time, Fe y Alegría invited them to join their network and become an officially recognized school but it would not be a simple or quick process. To register as a school and apply for funding from Fe y Alegría, the team first needed an approved space for classes. When they finally found a building, and registered with the Department of Education, they learned they’d missed the funding window.
“We had a school and students,” Jessenya said, “but no salaries. I had to tell the teachers we needed to offer five hours of classes per day — for free — while Fe y Alegría looked for funding.”
In February 2020, the team took a leap of faith while funding sources were still being explored and launched their first academic year — just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived.
“What did we do? We kept caring for our students,” Jessenya recalled. “Some were beyond the typical school age but had never been able to attend school because of their disabilities. We started learning with them, giving them individualized attention.”
Despite the odds, the teachers rented a small, rundown hostel, continued supporting students, and kept their vision alive throughout the lockdowns. In early 2022, they finally received the news they’d been waiting for:
“We were going to be included in Fe y Alegría’s budget,” Jessenya said. “We made it! Now we weren’t just “Seeds of Faith” — we became Centro Educativo Fe y Alegría #56 – Semillas de Fe” (Seeds of Faith).
A Commitment to Inclusive Education
From the very beginning, the Seeds of Faith community has embraced a special mission: welcoming students with disabilities where other schools have turned them away. Today, every grade level includes at least one student with a learning or physical disability — making the school a reference point for inclusive education not just in the area but for all of Fe y Alegría Guatemala.
One teacher described their approach:
“Our children are enrolled in the Ministry of Education’s records system with curricular adaptations, but we make those adaptations even more personalized — and we don’t just do it on paper, we follow through. In the classroom, they participate in activities alongside their peers, each to their own ability. Even if a child can only cut out shapes or draw a line, we celebrate that achievement. For us, that’s a big step forward.”
Other schools in the area, however, are known to be much less accepting, excluding students who learn differently or just pushing them through their schooling with no attention to their needs or care for the quality of their education.
“A student in my niece’s classroom was acting out one time and I believe is likely they have an intellectual disability,” one of the staff members of the Seeds of faith school shared, “But the teacher called the mothers of the other students and told them, ‘Go talk to the principal and tell them you don’t want that child in the classroom.’ This is a common experience for students with disabilities in this area.”
The Seeds of Faith school community receives these students with love and takes a much different approach. Their philosophy is rooted in the rights of all, not the benefit for a few.
“We see it from the perspective of rights: they have the same rights as all our students do. So they don’t have to adapt to society; rather, society has to adapt to them.” The teachers explained. “That is the only way everyone will have an equal opportunity to succeed.”
Another teacher emphasized, “The first barrier to inclusion is attitude. Because I can have a building adapted with ramps, handrails, adequate restrooms, and the best professionals. But if my attitude is not one of inclusion, it’s useless. So I believe that if we start with an attitude, we can break down the wall of exclusion and children with disabilities and learning problems can achieve a lot.”
Dreaming of a Home
In 2023, with help from the mayor, the Seeds of Faith community was able to rent classroom space and improve their conditions. But challenges remained.
“The space is better than where we came from,” Jessenya explained, “but it doesn’t have the infrastructure our students need. There are no ramps, so students with physical disabilities can’t attend class on the second floor.”
The teachers and students make the most of the space they have. One student, Julio, climbs to his second-floor classroom with the help of his friends and teachers. A group of mothers prepare meals in the entryway while the physical therapists treat students in a hallway and Jessenya has a small director’s desk office under the stairs.
The school has also faced logistical struggles. Since the space they rent has multiple uses, they are constantly reminded that this place is a stopping point on their journey but not their final home.
“Every Friday, we have to move the children’s desks and chairs into storage and then bring them back Monday morning,” Jessenya said. “Even our teaching supplies are packed away every weekend because we’re sharing space with another school.”
The community has dreamed of having a permanent, fully inclusive home. With the support of a global family invested in their success, this year, it is finally becoming a reality.
A New Beginning: The Seeds of Faith School
This December marks the start of a new chapter. Designed from the ground up to be inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for all, the new Centro Educativo Fe y Alegría #56 – Semillas de Fe (Seeds of Faith school) is ready to open its doors to students and families in Alotenango.
Currently, the school serves 240 primary school students, including 51 children with disabilities such as Down syndrome, visual and hearing impairments, and physical disabilities. Many of these children face stigma and discrimination, sometimes even within their own families, where disabilities are often misunderstood or seen as a curse or punishment.
The school works tirelessly to combat this stigma, educating not only students but also teachers and parents about the rights, needs, and potential of children with disabilities. Through workshops, community outreach, and hands-on support, the Seeds of Faith community is slowly transforming attitudes, fostering greater acceptance and belonging for every child.
This achievement would not have been possible without strong collaboration between community members, local authorities, and international supporters. Two critical contributions launched the project: a piece of land donated by the community and a school design adapted specifically for the needs of children with disabilities. The infrastructure incorporates safety and accessibility features throughout the space, ensuring that students can learn in an environment built for them — not one they must struggle to adapt to.
The total project cost is estimated at $1.4 million USD, spread across three construction phases. To begin Phase I and establish the minimum infrastructure needed, the school required $250,000 USD. With early support from the Loyola Foundation, the CPPS Heritage Mission Fund, additional foundations, and institutional donors, construction officially began in July 2024, following a major funding confirmation that brought the total raised to $425,000 USD.
Now, the first phase of the school is complete and ready to welcome students. The design reflects thoughtful upgrades to create a safe, functional, and inspiring environment for children and teachers alike:
- Larger classrooms to accommodate diverse learning needs
- Upgraded flooring and durable materials for safety and comfort
- Additional electrical outlets and improved lighting to support inclusive teaching tools
- Two-door classroom layouts for safer evacuation during emergencies
- A reinforced concrete roof, intentionally designed with exposed rebar
That exposed rebar is not a flaw — it’s a promise. It symbolizes hope for growth, anticipating the next steps of the community’s vision. With a strong foundation already in place, Phase II will allow new classrooms to be built on the second level without costly new construction.
For this community, the Seeds of Faith School represents much more than a physical space. It is a commitment to justice, dignity, and inclusion — a place where every child, regardless of ability, can belong and thrive.
Julio, from Fe y Alegría Guatemala, reflected on the school’s wider impact:
“This school has transformed Fe y Alegría in Guatemala. Before, we focused on a more traditional model of education. But what we’ve seen here — the respect for diversity, the vision for inclusion — has changed us. Now, inclusion is part of our national strategic plan. We’re sharing these lessons with schools across the country.”
Looking ahead, the community remains determined to complete all three phases of construction and expand opportunities for students across Alotenango. With each new classroom built and each barrier removed, Seeds of Faith is shaping a future where all children are guaranteed an education.
Conclusion
The inauguration of the Seeds of Faith School marks the start of a new chapter — not just for Alotenango, but for inclusive education in Guatemala. It is a story of resilience, hope, and faith, built by teachers, families, students, and supporters who refused to give up.
This is more than a school. It is a promise fulfilled. And for the students who will walk through its doors, it is a chance to grow, belong, and thrive.
