Help School fight Climate Change w/ Green Building

At Long Way Home we reached our 18th year of operation and had a lot to celebrate...

• Integration of the new Education for Sustainable Development curriculum
• Education of 180 students at Hero School
• Employment of 32 Comalapans as teachers and builders
• Welcomed 121 international visitors to volunteer with green building
• Repurposed 3,500 tires into building material
• Led 2 more successful Green Building Academies
• Hosted another Rubbish to Runway fundraiser where student teams and international participants designed outfits and accessories from recycled materials
• Cheered on a new board of directors president, Amarildo Bal from Comalapa, Guatemala

This coming year we expect to have close to 200 students joining us from the immediate area of San Juan Comalapa, and a few from neighboring areas! It’s been beautiful to see the excitement for learning on campus and have students eager to attend Hero School. The teachers are also continuing to work on advancing the education for sustainable development focused curriculum to further the depth of student knowledge to combat crisis, empower themselves, and build community.

In the spring, students will apply the social studies, maths, and sciences, they’ve learned to build in the community. The different grades will be aided by our construction team to provide improved stoves, tinaco water tanks, composting dry latrines, and retaining walls in the community. And you’re welcome to come join us too! You can see past student projects and more green building resources in our digital catalog.

For a more intensive building experience, we will soon again host the Green Building Academy in March and July. These blended lecture and hands on workshops are led by international and local experts. Through focused courses on earthen materials, designing structures, water systems, and off grid power, participants will receive a study book, attend classroom sessions, and get practical experience.

If you or someone you know are looking for a high impact internship, volunteer, or service group opportunity in green building or with an international NGO, please reach out! You can also stay connected and follow projects on Instagram (@lwhome_org), Facebook, and YouTube.

We’ve crunched some numbers and recognize it takes about $25 per student, per month to operate and provide the interactive education we and alumni of Hero School and Long Way Home love so much. Thank you for supporting us to make that happen!

We wish you and your loved ones the best and hope to see you in 2023!

Links:

• About the upcoming Green Building Academy
• Learn more about Volunteering
• See our education model animation video!

Right now at Long Way Home we are developing the school campus, enhancing curriculum, and compiling it all into a catalog of green building knowledge.

On our website you can find the Investigation Unit, an ongoing database of over 80 past, present, and aspirational green building projects. We are sharing the project details on everything from retaining walls to water storage to off grid homes with hopes of helping springboard more ideas of sustainable building projects into reality. Along with descriptions, photos, renders, and animation videos, we are also providing material lists, project specs and many blueprints absolutely free. In addition to browsing the available library, you can financially support us by purchasing a personal copy of our Green Building Manual.

One such project is a new volunteer house made from tires, bamboo, cob, glass bottles, and ecobricks. This project is still under way but has already had many contributors to thank, starting with you incredible donors! Helping on site recently we’ve had participants from the July 2022 Green Building Academy (GBA) which was the largest and most diverse group we’ve hosted thus far. As we continue pulling together resources for completing this house, we hope it will become a nurturing home for many future volunteers and academy participants to serve Hero School, study natural building methods, and become global ambassadors for conservation and sustainable development. If you’re interested in attending a future GBA you can register now with a special early bird discount! 

At Hero School, teachers and administrators are revamping lesson plans for K-11th grades by researching, innovating, and sharing best practices in Education for Sustainable Development and cascading enhanced curriculum onto the creative and powerful minds of Hero School students.

With 180 students, 28 teachers, a parent’s association of 150, a growing building team, continuum of volunteers, a modest admin team, and over 600 donors, we are now more than 1,000 people working together to save the planet.  Thank you for being a part of this mission.

As we continue contributing to sustainable initiatives and investigate more green building options, we hope you’ll continue to support us. One great way to do so is through the GlobalGiving “Little by Little” campaignwhere donations up to $50 will be matched at 50% from September 12 – 16, 2022.

If you have questions about Long Way Home’s work, green building projects, supporting the annual Rubbish to Runway event, or getting more involved in other ways, you can reach us personally at OutreachCoordinator@lwhome.org or connect with us on Instagram @lwhome_org or Facebook @lwhomeorg.

Links:

• Welcome to our digital catalog of green building projects!
• Design with Rubbish to Runway or get raffle tickets to support!
• Join one of our 2023 green building academies!