Our Programs · Education+

Beyond ABCs:
nurturing the whole child

Reading and writing are just the beginning. Our curriculum builds healthy bodies, curious minds, and creative spirits — through gardening, nutrition, art, and social-emotional learning.

An open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the boardAn open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the boardAn open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the boardAn open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the boardAn open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the boardAn open-air classroom in rural Guatemala, a facilitator teaching at the board

A child who learns to grow their own food, nourish their body, and name their feelings is ready for far more than first grade.

01

Gardening

Children plant, tend, and harvest in classroom gardens — learning where food comes from with their hands in the dirt.

02

Nutritional Education

Lessons that turn every snack into a teaching moment about food groups, hydration, and healthy choices.

03

Art & Creativity

Drawing, painting, music, and movement — the universal languages of curious minds.

04

Social-Emotional

Naming feelings, sharing, taking turns, and resolving conflict — the skills that hold a classroom together.

Children tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom gardenChildren tending a classroom garden
SEMILLAS Program

Every classroom builds and maintains a garden.

We teach children to grow vegetables, herbs, and native crops alongside the curriculum, planting skills they'll use for the rest of their lives.

  • Seed-to-plate cycles built into the school year
  • Native crops — corn, radishes, guisqüil, squash, beans, herbs
  • Whole community participation with teachers, students, parents, and volunteers collaborating on upkeep throughout the year
Food Is a Lesson

Ongoing nutritional education.

Snack time isn't a break from learning — it's part of it. Our curriculum incorporates lessons about food groups, water, and the connection between eating well and feeling well.

  • Lessons on food groups and hydration
  • Hand-washing and hygiene routines
  • Monthly nutritional lessons for parents
Children eating a nutritious snack in the classroomChildren eating a nutritious snack in the classroomChildren eating a nutritious snack in the classroomChildren eating a nutritious snack in the classroomChildren eating a nutritious snack in the classroom
Nutrition Program

You can't learn
when you're hungry.

In rural Guatemala, nearly half of indigenous children suffer from chronic malnutrition. We take this issue as seriously as their education.

47%

of indigenous children under 5 in Guatemala suffer from chronic malnutrition

58%

of rural Mayan children are stunted before they ever reach a classroom

A young girl holding Chispuditos supplement.

So we feed
them.

Every child in every classroom receives a daily nutritional supplement, Chispuditos. This unique premix vitamins and minerals ensures that children receive the daily nutrients necessary to optimize their nutrition and health.

Chispuditos

The nutritional supplement that closes the gap.

Malnutrition is endemic in rural Guatemala, a problem LBR takes on firsthand. In partnership with the Mathile Foundation, every student in our program receives Chispuditos, a fortified nutritional supplement — vitamins, minerals, and protein delivered through atol, a local snack.

550+

Children receiving the supplement daily

45

Classrooms stocked across 5 departments

25%

Generous discount for Chispuditos through Mathile Foundation

Chispuditos, the fortified supplement, in a classroom communityChispuditos, the fortified supplement, in a classroom community

“When the children are nourished, everything changes. They pay more attention, they participate, and best of all, they smile.”

— Community facilitator, Chimaltenango

Help us grow more than gardens.

Your donation funds the curriculum, the materials, the meals, and the hands that bring it all together.

Donate Now
501(c)(3) tax-deductible