Maya Youth Scholarship Program: Transforming Lives, Opening Doors
This month, we proudly launched our annual campaign for the Maya Youth Scholarship Program at the Na’atik Institute. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, 41 of our 55 students are already sponsored, but we still have 14 scholarships remaining to reach our goal!
How It All Began
In 2010, Catherine Gray and Pedro Esquivel Puc founded Na’atik with a vision to provide accessible English classes to local Maya communities. The school quickly became popular among students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto and surrounding areas who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to learn English. However, Catherine and Pedro soon realized that many talented and committed students could not continue their studies due to financial limitations.
This inspired the launch of the Maya Youth Scholarship Program in December 2010, aimed at providing scholarships to students who showed dedication but lacked the resources to attend classes. The first cohort included only five students, but today the program supports over 50 young learners each year, many from nearby Maya communities.
Erick & Talicia were our 2 first scholarship students!
What Each Scholarship Provides
For just $600 USD per year, each scholarship covers:
Weekly English classes
Textbooks
Extracurricular activities and workshops
Access to our trilingual library with free book lending
An emergency fund to ensure no student falls behind due to temporary hardships
Sponsors also receive regular updates on their student’s progress, a thank-you letter at the end of the year, and recognition in our annual newsletter.
Why Your Support Matters
Each scholarship not only changes the life of a student but also positively impacts their entire community. Over 95% of scholarship students go on to attend university, many returning to contribute to the development of their communities.
With only 14 scholarships remaining, we invite you to be part of this change. Your support could mean the difference between a talented young person fulfilling their dream of education or being held back due to lack of resources.
Take Action Today
Don’t miss the chance to transform a life. Sponsor a scholarship today and join this movement that is opening doors and creating bright futures for our youth.
Together, we can ensure that no student is left behind. Thank you for supporting education and empowering the next generation!
To learn more about Na’atik’s English language program for local and Indigenous students in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, visit our Impact Page. We are only able to provide this much needed program thanks to the support of generous donors and the funds raised from our award winning Maya and Spanish Immersion Program. If you would like to support our mission please consider donating today or take a look at our immersion programs and online class packages.