About the Campain

For 25 years, Quetzaltrekkers has run fun and safe treks through the Western Highlands of Guatemala, with 100% of our profits directly funding the projects of Asociación Escuela de la Calle (EDELAC): providing education, housing, and social support to the disadvantaged indigenous children in the Xela area.

In response to the Covid-19 global pandemic, we have suspended all treks until it is safe for everyone in Guatemala to participate. As a result, funding for 2022 remains uncertain, and we hope to be able to restart our operation and hikes in the next year. Still, this winter we need your help to raise $45,000, so we can continue our mission. And even better, each donation will be matched by

We created this campaign with help from our partner, Many Hopes, so you can support that mission. Here you will also find updates about the campain. Please join us — you can be the difference that helps us reach our goal, by donating, creating your own fundraiser, and sharing with your friends and family.

We cannot wait to see how much we can achieve together as we help without hiking! Something beats nothing!

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About Escuala de la calle

In 1995, two young Guatemalan teachers began holding impromptu classes in the streets of Xela for the many homeless children displaced by the Guatemalan Civil War. With a desire to provide these children an education as a path out of the streets, Guadalupe and Miguel founded Escuela de la Calle (“School of the Street”) to move their classes off the sidewalks and into an actual classroom.

Since then, the school has grown and holds up to 170 children from 5 to 15 years. Beside mathematics and reading/writing, they also learn topics about their cultural heritage from local teachers, which are having a secure and well paid job opportunity.

Over the years, equipment was renewed and the library contains a vast collection of books in local language, Spanish and English. On top, through donations, a computer room is available. Thanks to a similar fundraiser as this one, a roof has been financed and built over the playground, to keep the children dry during their break and play.

A special project is the “Hogar Peery Hovde”, a children’s dormitory that acts as a long-term safe home for 20 adolescents between the ages of 7 and 18. The Hovde House offers at-risk children a safe, drug and violence-free environment with round-the-clock supervision and support. They are provided with meals, clothing, education, medical care and psychological attention.

About Quetzaltrekkers

For 25 years, Quetzaltrekkers has operated as a non-profit, running fun and safe trekking experiences through the Western Highlands of Guatemala. 100% of our profits directly fund the projects of Asociación Escuela de la Calle (EDELAC): providing education, housing, and social support to the disadvantaged indigenous children in the Xela area in Guatemala.

In pursuit of our mission, we work to spread awareness of Mayan culture and directly support the local communities through which we hike.

The western Highland offers a wide area of spectacular hikes. Beside day trips to the local volcano Santa Maria (3772m), we offer multi-day trips to the highest point in Central America and hikes through the rural areas of Guatemala. On top funding an awesome organization with all the profits, the payments of the tourists for their trips also support local families, as we stay overnight or eat meals.

To share the culture heritage is another goal of QT. Beside the financial support, we offer a deep insight into the life and indigenous culture of Guatemalans and history. Either through endless speeches from guides during a break (depending on their presentations skills), the families themselves or random encounters with locals. So at the end, there are not only memories through pictures, but especially due to a special experience.

About the Kids

Every child at the school and Hogar is from financially or socially disadvantaged family. Without the work of EDELAC, they could go to a state elementary school. Though, the quality is far from a reasonable standard and Guatemala is far behind in comparison to other Latin American countries. On top, there is a difference in education quality between urban and rural areas, which additionally disadvantages indigenous children.

Therefore, the goal is to help especially kids which have a hard stand in the current system. And they take it with great joy.

We, the volunteers, have a special bond with the children from the Hogar. Our weekly meet ups consist of a fun and exhausting (especially after returning from a hike) game of soccer and a dinner. It gives us a special break from the daily work and an additional boost in energy and motivation. The kids on the other side get to play music via our smartphones, which ends in a big dance session, or play other games like tag and test our Spanish skills. Older kids are also able to join us on our treks!

On top, a scholarship supports children which want to continue their education. One girl for example finished her degree in accounting and has been the school accountant for a long time