Our Emerging Leaders Program extends our commitment to students beyond graduation, recognizing that while many leave high school full of promise and determination—often as the first in their families to study beyond elementary school—they still need support to successfully transition into higher education and employment.
We provide Limitless Horizons Ixil alumni with continued mentorship, career development workshops, community-building events, and assistance with job, university, and scholarship applications. We also offer some year-long paid fellowships, and scholarships for university or technical school.
of emerging leaders with at least one semester of college education are employed in the formal economy.
of emerging leaders have gone on to pursue higher education (compared to less than 1% of the population of Chajul).
of emerging leaders have a formal job with a professional salary (compared to <6% of the population of Chajul).
of female emerging leaders waited to get married and have kids until at least 23 years old (compared to just 16% of their mothers who waited until that age).
This ongoing support builds a strong pipeline of young professionals equipped to pursue higher education, launch careers or businesses, and take on much-needed roles in Chajul—fueling transformation from within the community.
In Chajul, where fewer than 6% of adults are formally employed and less than 1% of the population pursues post-secondary education, our long-term goal is to develop a pipeline of young professionals equipped to drive community development and economic growth. By supporting graduates to access higher education and professional opportunities, we aim to create a generation of professionals who will contribute to the local economy, reduce unemployment, and uplift their families and community.
As the alumni pool grows, our goal is that they continue to build strong connections with each other and provide peer support as they seek to establish careers and professional networks. Our alumni group, overseen by staff, named itself “Triunfadores sin Limites” (Limitless Achievers). Their activities include trainings and workshops, field trips, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and staying in touch with their peer network through various communication channels.
All graduating high school students engage in one-on-one job readiness sessions to receive assistance with applications, scholarships, preparing their CV, mock interviews, and job search techniques.
We offer competitive paid fellowships to a few graduates each year. Fellows gain their first professional experience, working part-time at Colegio Horizontes or the community library. The fellowship includes professional development workshops for two hours a week, additional training and field trips, and a supervisor who mentors them and supports their individual professional development. Upon completing the one-year fellowship, fellows are eligible for university or vocational training scholarships.
We actively support emerging leaders as they pursue university degrees and vocational training, helping remove financial and structural barriers to post-secondary education. Today, 40% of emerging leaders have gone on to study at university, compared to less than 1% of the population of Chajul. This investment translates directly into economic opportunity: 90% of emerging leaders who have completed at least one semester of college are employed in the formal economy, strengthening both individual futures and the long-term capacity of the community.
Limitless Horizons Ixil creates jobs for local leaders, promoting from within whenever possible and often hiring from our alumni pool. Approximately 25% of Limitless Horizons Ixil’s staff are emerging leaders. We offer all staff educational and professional development opportunities such as university scholarships and other training.
Transforming a Community Through Education
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Limitless Horizons Ixil is a US-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN/Tax ID #26-4296182.
