When it comes to innovative thinking about sustainability, the teachers and builders at Long Way Home in Comalapa, Guatemala are on out in front. This organization has trained hundreds of young adults on sustainable, green building technics. They even learn how to reduce waste in the environment by incorporating into building materials. 

This sustainable building learning center has worked thus far without the asset of a science lab. But now the fantastic Mite Giving Community is going to fund the building of a lab! Your gift to Project 52 - Science Lab for Sustainability will help build a new science lab so that students for decades to come can discover new ways to build green.

Let's work together to reduce waste and train the next generation on new sustainable technologies. Project 52 involves construction of a new science lab at the Long Way Home educational facilities in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala.  The construction project will create a space for learning, experimenting and discovering new ways to build green. 


Comalapa, Guatemala

Long Way Home 

Science Lab for Sustainability - Guatemala

Green building is at the core of our partner's program. For over 15 years, Long Way Home (LWH) has been engineering green buildings using locally-sourced materials and renewable energy sources. Their Hero School was built from 450 tons of local waste and more than 15,000 tires. Now we are partnering to build a science laboratory that serves more than 400 students. 
The construction is progressing smoothly, with the team pouring the building's footers, erecting concrete columns, and installing eco-brick & cob walls between them.

You may be wondering what eco-bricks are! They are reusable building blocks created from non-biodegradable waste (think plastic, glass, & metals) compressed into plastic bottles. Students and volunteers collect plastic waste from their homes and the campus to create these eco-bricks, diverting waste from landfills.

We are thrilled with the progress and can't wait to see the finished product! We want to shout out to the incredible team & volunteers dedicated to finishing this project on schedule.

Green Building Techniques at Work: Update on Science Lab Construction

Exciting news! Our lab construction is progressing right on schedule with no delays, thanks to the fantastic Green Building professionals team and dedicated volunteers. 

There’s been lots of mixing cob (sand + clay + straw), pounding tires, cutting bottles into “bricks,” cleaning and preparing materials, and applying natural paint to the new science lab building. 

Our partner interviewed one of the volunteers, Edson Martinez, who is helping build, and here’s what he had to say: “Being on-site to see for myself all the progress that has been made just fills my heart. I know that this science lab building is going to directly impact many kids.”  

Volunteers in action for sustainable change

You are helping sponsor a project that will eventually be replicated by green builders all over the world! The science lab construction is being documented from start to finish and will be shared with builders looking for an easy source to replicate a sustainable building process. 

So far, 4,000 eco-bricks have been used to build the lab meaning countless plastic wrappers and trash have been upcycled and removed from the waste stream. The next step in construction is to add doors, windows, floor tiles, and countertops. 

Come August 2023; this lab will be filled with Guatemala's future scientists to experiment and ultimately innovate.  

4,000 Eco-Bricks Paving the Way 

Building at Hero School is truly a community effort, not just with local volunteers but with people from all corners of the Earth. One of our partner volunteers, Nina from Canada, has shared her experience using eco-building technology to help construct the science lab in Guatemala. Nina, accompanied by her son, has been volunteering on the project for a couple of weeks. 

She shares their current focus: "We are currently working on the walls, using bamboo for the top sections. We cut and create holes in the bamboo to facilitate air circulation. It's a vital aspect of our design."

Reflecting on her time with Long Way Home, Nina expresses her uplifting experience: "My time at Long Way Home has been incredibly inspiring. Witnessing how materials can be repurposed and integrated into beautiful projects is truly remarkable. There's an undeniable artistic side to everything they do, which is fantastic."

This project has become a wonderful opportunity for giving back. Nina enthusiastically encourages others to join in: "I strongly encourage anybody to come to Guatemala and be a part of this incredible endeavor."

The science lab is on track to be completed in August, empowering Guatemala's young minds and future scientists to innovate more eco-sustainable solutions.

A Global Community Effort

We have incredible news! By leading the way and laying the foundation, our community has inspired others to follow suit, creating a chain reaction of goodness.

Because our giving community sponsored Long Way Home's science lab, the German Embassy in Guatemala has stepped forward with a generous donation of additional lab equipment, bolstering the resources available to our future scientists.

But that's not all! An apparel company from the US has also joined hands with us, providing much-needed lab coats for the eager students who will soon fill the building. 

Our community has once again shown its remarkable generosity, and the impact of our collective efforts has multiplied. 

A Chain Reaction of Goodness

Our team is gearing up to head to Hero School in Guatemala to capture on film the incredible community effort that brought the eco-science lab to life. Backed by our super generous giving community, teachers, students, parents and volunteers from across the globe joined forces to create this beautiful building. Stay tuned to take a closer look at buildings of the future.

Here’s what a couple of volunteers had to say about their experience: 

My two favorite things about the Hero School is that it is soooo green.  I also love how all the rubbish I see in the streets was used to build usable spaces for learning. I hope to share what I have learned with the rest of my community. Alfredo Curruchiche, 23 yrs from Comalapa 

Most of my time building the science lab (entirely out of repurposed rubbish) has been focused on interior finishes.  My favorite thing about the Hero School is how filled with joy everybody here seems to be. I have never seen another school like this and now I want to build one! Hilery,  American citizen living in El Salvador & Green Building Academy student.

Packing our bags ✈️ Guatemala is calling! 

Recently our team ventured a long way from home to visit the Hero School in Guatemala. Abigail, our infield representative, reflects:
Walking through the front gate, I was immediately struck by the unique beauty surrounding me. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Tires creatively stacked and molded together, glass bottles repurposed to let in sunlight, adding a touch of artistry, and plastic bags transformed into shingles that covered domed roofs. All of this overlooks the stunning landscape of Comalapa, a town in the highlands of Guatemala.

These unconventional structures are not just classrooms but a physical reminder of what the students are capable of once they graduate. It is a far cry from the typical square classrooms with dull colors, as they offer an inspiring learning environment. The Hero School's curriculum aims to equip every student with green building knowledge practices. These are skills that not only improve their own living conditions but also their communities. 

I had the privilege of joining the inauguration of the science laboratory building, a project made possible by our giving community. I witnessed the sheer excitement on the students' faces as they donned white lab coats and conducted chemical reaction experiments, exploring the wonders of a cell through microscopes for the very first time.

For some of these young minds, that day might have marked a turning point in their lives, inspiring them to pursue careers as doctors, microbiologists, or chemists. Thanks to your support, the building has ignited a passion for learning that will shape their futures and bring positive change to their communities in Guatemala.

A Day of Beginnings: Science Lab Inauguration

Science education in most developing countries like Guatemala, is poorly financed and developed; with the brightest students leaving for the developed world. But not at the Hero School in Comalapa!

Thanks to our incredible giving community who supported the newly-built science lab, it acts as a knowledge incubator for not only its own students but for others in the district. Over the past month more than 150 students have accessed the lab along with the local educational authority.

Science labs teach students investigative and critical thinking skills such as problem solving and application. This month classes were conducted on cellular structures of red blood cells and plant cells along with extractions of DNA structures. 

“The lab allows them to strengthen knowledge in the areas of natural sciences, chemistry and biology, etc. With this they can discover their vocation,” says Brendy Marleny Caná Chalí, Hero Science Teacher.

Her students agree. “It is a very nice experience to be able to use appropriate instruments,” says 14 year old Heily.

“It allows you to deepen your knowledge because with practice, you better understand the topics,” echoes 15 year old Frank. 

Keep an eye out for next month's update, as we'll be unveiling the Celebration Video!

Incubating Knowledge

Because of your support, we've helped turn trash into a cutting-edge science lab that will shape the futures of thousands of students. Known as "the tire school," the Hero School in Guatemala is pioneering green building — built from 25,000 used tires and thousands of old bottles; it's a remarkable infrastructure filled with hundreds of children every day. 

Big thanks to our partner, Long Way Home, for their dedication to education and employment within Comalapa. This Celebration Video is a testament to the incredible goodness that comes from collaboration and innovation, showing that even when materials are scarce, creativity prevails.

We hope you enjoy watching, and thank you for your tireless dedication (pun intended 😉) to our shared mission.

Project 52: Science Lab for Sustainability - Guatemala

Project 52: Science Lab for Sustainability - Guatemala

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