Unite to light blog

Brighter Futures in Guatemala: Light, Water, and Community Empowerment

When we stepped into Gloria Tuyuc’s home in San Juan Comalapa, she welcomed us with a warm smile. Gloria’s family lives with unreliable electricity. On nights without power, she resorts to buying candles, a constant expense that adds up over time. Water is equally uncertain. Gloria only has running water for about an hour each day, forcing her family to store what they can and sometimes drink from the sink. It’s a risk that has often left her children sick.

When we placed a solar light in Gloria’s hands, her relief was immediate. Now, even when the power fails, she knows her family has a reliable light source, and money once spent on candles can go toward other expenses. The water filter we gave her will mean safe, clean water every day, helping protect her children from illnesses.

In May 2025, Unite to Light joined hands with dedicated partners to bring solar lights and water filters to families like Gloria’s across the highlands of Guatemala. Along with Water Access to All (WATA), Dexter’s Camera, Los Angeles Muay Thai, and the Han Schneider International Children’s Foundation, Unite to Light distributed 200 Luke Lights and 150 water filters to families in San Juan Comalapa, a Maya Kaqchikel community nestled in the mountains of the Chimaltenango department.

Long Way Home School, Photo by Austin Sharon

About Long Way Home

​At the heart of this collaboration was Long Way Home (LWH), a nonprofit organization based in San Juan Comalapa that is reimagining what education and sustainability can look like in underserved communities. The visit was not only about delivering supplies, but about participating in a larger story of empowerment, environmental stewardship, and community-led development.

Long Way Home runs the Hero School, a vibrant and innovative educational institution that serves students from pre-K through 11th grade. It combines traditional education with hands-on, skills-based learning that prepares students to be problem-solvers and change-makers in their community.
Every year, students, teachers, and community members work together on student-led projects that tackle local challenges such as poor sanitation, unsafe housing, limited access to clean water and environmental degradation. These include the construction of smoke-efficient stoves, water storage tanks, composting latrines, and retaining walls to prevent erosion, all built using Green Building techniques that repurpose discarded materials like tires, bottles, and plastic waste.

In total, LWH has transformed over 1,000 tons of trash into sustainable infrastructure.
Photo by Gaia Menni
Photo by Gaia Menni
​About Water Access to All (WATA)
​
WATA, a nonprofit based in Ventura, California, is dedicated to providing sustainable access to clean water for underserved communities around the world. Their model emphasizes portable water filtration systems combined with education and community engagement to ensure long-term use and impact.
​WATA’s approach complements Unite to Light’s mission perfectly: both organizations work at the intersection of health, education, and sustainability to serve those living without basic infrastructure.
Cyrus Maroofian, Founder and CEO of WATA, captured by Gaia Menni

The Distribution

The event began with a demonstration from the WATA team on how to use and maintain the filters. Families learned how the gravity-fed filtration system works, how to keep it clean, and how it could transform their access to safe drinking water.
Next, we presented the Luke Light, our durable, rechargeable solar light. Many families in the area lack reliable electricity, and students often struggle to study after dark. The Luke Light offers a sustainable, portable solution, one that supports education and safety.
What made this event truly special was the engagement from the families themselves. Many asked thoughtful questions, shared stories about their needs, and expressed genuine excitement about what these simple tools could do for their daily lives.

Photo by Austin Sharon
The families of Long Way Home School, Photo by Gaia Menni
Visiting Homes, Witnessing Impact
Beyond the main distribution event, we visited several family homes throughout San Juan Comalapa where Long Way Home projects were already in place, like smoke-efficient stoves and rainwater cisterns. At each home, we delivered additional Luke Lights, shared more about our work, and saw firsthand how local solutions are transforming lives.

As we visited homes throughout San Juan Comalapa, we saw just how essential something as simple as light can be. In one house with limited electricity, a young boy shyly asked one of our volunteers if he could borrow their phone flashlight so he could step into a dark room. It was a small, simple moment, but it said everything about why we were there. A basic task like walking through your home after dark can mean stumbling in the shadows or waiting until daylight returns. Moments like this reminded us why these solar lights are so much more than just devices; they are safety, comfort, and the freedom to move through your own home after dark.
A young boy borrowing someone’s phone flashlight. Photo by Cyrus Maroofian
Photo by Gaia Menni
Looking Ahead: Empowering Local Youth

It was deeply moving to witness how much care and collaboration has gone into every project. From the way homes were built, to the way students proudly explained their work, it was clear: this community is building its own brighter future, one sustainable step at a time.
To ensure the ongoing success and impact of this initiative, three teenage students from the Hero School have taken on a new leadership role. As ambassadors, they will help manage and check in on the distribution of the Luke Lights and WATA filters, providing support to families, ensuring the tools are used properly, and reporting on any issues.
This youth-led follow-up is a powerful example of how access, education, and trust go hand-in-hand. With some help, we are equipping young leaders to become stewards of their own community’s well-being.
Ambassadors Aracely Tuyuc, Lilian Cumez, Paola Otzoy. Photo by Gaia Menni

A Brighter Future, Together

At Unite to Light, we believe in the power of collaboration. This project brought together passionate nonprofits, community leaders, students, and families, all working toward a shared goal: a healthier, safer, and more equitable world.
Education doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, but for millions of students around the world without electricity, it’s forced to. A solar light can change that. It can give a child the chance to read, to learn, and to dream beyond daylight hours. Donate today to help us get solar lights into the hands of students who need them most. Together, we can light the path to a brighter, more equitable future.

Donate
Facebook
X

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All post