Martin Horn Volunteers Join BGF to Build La Puerta Abierta School
We traveled as a group of five volunteers—myself; my partner, Julia; Ben; Kendall; and Nate, our trip leader with Building Goodness Foundation (BGF)—to Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala. Our project was to support the early construction stages of La Puerta Abierta, a new K–6 school serving the local community. We arrived during the rebar and foundation phase, helping tie rebar for the footings, setting vertical columns, and assembling hundreds of concrete rebar “chairs”—called tacos by the construction crew!
Although I’ve visited Guatemala several times with BGF, this was my first time in the Lake Atitlán region. The area is rugged and incredibly beautiful. Lake Atitlán itself is expansive—about 15 square miles—and remarkably deep, nearly 1,200 feet, bordered by dormant volcanoes. While some lakeside towns draw heavy tourism and include resorts, Santiago remains largely indigenous, home to descendants of Mayan communities.
The people there are consistently warm, welcoming, and hardworking. I’m always struck by the skill and work ethic of the local construction crews, especially given the challenging conditions and the limited equipment they work with compared to what we use in the U.S.
We were also given a wonderful tour of the current school building, where we met Amanda, the school’s founder, and Juanita, the director. They shared the school’s mission and spoke about the tensions that sometimes arise between traditional Mayan culture and modern educational expectations. Gender roles remain deeply rooted—families often expect boys to pursue farming or trade work, while girls are expected to focus on cooking, maintaining the home, and raising children. The staff works thoughtfully to honor these cultural values while still opening doors to broader opportunities for all students.
I encourage any Martin Horn employee to consider signing up for a BGF trip, whether or not you have hands-on construction experience. It’s an impactful way to serve others—and an incredibly rewarding personal experience.
Learn more about La Puerta Abierta here.
