In 2005 we started building. First a park area, then some classrooms, now a school teaching students through creative education, in a campus build out of trash and natural materials. At the school, we teach not only standard curriculum but include education for sustainable development. At the school the community is forefront, creating jobs for teachers and builders, providing access to education, combating poverty conditions, and building many projects to provide basic support like water tanks, composting toilets, tire retention walls, efficient stoves for improved respiratory health, and more.

We normally start the day at 7:30 with breakfast at the volunteer house, prepared by a local chef. Each meal is different and they can accommodate meal preferences and allergies. Then will have classroom sessions on building aspects. Then lunch, also prepared by a local chef. Before going to the building site and working. The day ends at 4pm and later dinner will again be served at the house. In free time people often watch the sunset over the volcanoes, walk to town, play games, or unwind.

GBA participants will be learning, building, and living alongside staff from Comalapa and other volunteers from all over the world. Students will live in a green-designed home and will help keep a zero-waste household, an experience that can create life-changing habits.

The program takes place in April and November each year at our site San Juan Comalapa, a rural town in Guatemala’s highlands. Participants who join the Academy will contribute to our efforts to make healthy and resilient structures accessible to low-resourced and climate-stressed communities.

During the GBA we work through many concepts relevant to eco building and sustainability principles. This April we will be building a classroom for a local school in our community. You will be learning to green-build step-by-step from the foundation up!