COLEGIO HOREB BUILDING PROJECT

Join WIND in strengthening the Cotzal community one child at a time.

WIND has identified that the most critical step toward making the most substantial and sustainable long-term difference in the community is improving access to a quality education.

In 2011, WIND partnered with the Christian school Colegio Horeb. The school was founded in 2007 by a local woman, Tabita Juana Toma de la Cruz, who understands the culture and complexity surrounding education in her community. By 2010 enrollment had dropped to only 28 students. The school was unable to pay teachers and was on the brink of closing.

WIND initially helped provide teachers with a small salary and basic materials (textbooks and desks). Over time we offered scholarships, started a feeding program for malnourished children, built wood burning stoves for the poorest families, and brought dental care to the area.

Today, only 15 years later, there are close to 500 students receiving a high-quality education at Colegio Horeb. The school now offers education for preschool through ninth grade. The dedicated teaching staff has grown from five teachers in 2011 to 28 teachers today.

Colegio Horeb was limited in physical space.

They rented space around the community and held classes in temporary classrooms, making teaching and learning difficult.

There was no common recess area for school activities, and the bathrooms were broken and filthy.

together, we are MAKING A DIFFERENCE

WIND helped the school acquire three acres of property on a hill above Cotzal, a site plan was developed, and construction commenced in 2022. Eventually the campus will provide over 33,000 sq. feet of educational space which will accommodate 700 students.

WIND’s plan for the school:

classrooms for all grade levels on one campus
a large multipurpose building and kitchen (which can be rented out for future income)
a multi-sport recreational facility
functional, clean bathrooms (including the municipality’s first septic system!)
training centers for computer, science, library, carpentry, and other vocational skills
a medical clinic for exams and dental care
a caretaker home onsite, providing security for the school and a job for a local family
a large garden for agricultural and nutritional education, providing produce for the feeding program and additional school revenue

BUILDING PROJECT TIMELINE

PHASE 1 – Land Purchased – COMPLETED!

PHASE 2 – Land Development – COMPLETED!
Included site preparation, retention, roads, septic and water, soccer field, caretaker home.

PHASE 3 – Three Buildings (12 Classrooms) & Multi-Sport Facility - COMPLETED!
Includes classrooms for PreK-middle school, multi-sport facility, and computer lab.

PHASE 4 – Secondary Classrooms & Auxiliary Space – $730,000 (Future TBD)
Includes upper grade classrooms, library, vocational training center, health clinic, dormitory, kitchen, and chapel.