Dear Friend,

Luminarias in Spanish means illumination; supplying or brightening with light; to enlighten spiritually or intellectually. I made my first trip to Guatemala in 2001. Over the years of working with youth in Guatemala, I realized the dire poverty in which many of them live. In addition to lack of education, food, clothing – and often safe shelter with water and electricity – there is a great need for children to build relationships with role models who are willing to listen to their stories, support them during hard times, and encourage their holistic development. I decided to act, and the past 23 years have been devoted to “illuminating” the unique needs of young Indigenous Guatemalan girls and working to provide them a better future.

I quickly noticed the unique struggles specifically for girls in Guatemala, and in order to provide a better future for them, I decided to gain a better understanding. Girls in Guatemala live with sobering realities. In a male-dominated society, girls endure greater hardships of poverty and receive far less education and career development than boys do. 



Guatemala has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Latin America, in fact, half of Guatemalan girls have a child before the age of 19. Most are ill-equipped to provide a stable environment within which their children can grow up. The current state educational program in Guatemala is not equipped to empower young women with the knowledge to confidently make informed decisions, take care of themselves and their families, and effectively take control of their own lives. These alarming statistics have shaped the mission of Luminarias as the work has grown over the decades.



• Our mission is: to break the cycle of poverty, adolescent pregnancy and cultural oppression in Indigenous Guatemalan girls.
• Our vision is: to empower Guatemalan girls to reimagine their futures, to be women of confidence, and live out their God-given potential.



Research has shown that an investment in young women is an investment in nation building. The Luminarias project is a vital, concrete step in empowering young Guatemalan women. 



In 2013 we rented a home in Jardines De San Lucas 4 – a secure, gated community in the city of San Lucas Sacatepéquez. The intention was to provide a home for girls from underserved communities where their education, food, clothing, and housing costs were covered and loving, skilled staff would be available to guide and to help develop these girls in a holistic way, investing in their lives, and reimagining their futures. We began to invite indigenous girls ages 12 to 18 to grow and flourish in a safe, communal environment.

The program’s success and effectiveness eventually grew to the point that a full campus was envisioned to provide a highly customized setting for a “residential school” with all activities and services. Between 2018 and 2019, a new building was put up in the same neighborhood.

We are looking ahead to a new future that is bright, bringing hope and a successful path forward for these young women. I invite you to join us on the journey:

• Visit us online at luminariasproject.com 
• Follow us on Facebook
• Consider contributing to our work by viewing our donate page
• And most importantly – please make sure we have your contact information correct! You can send us an email with any new details.

With your partnership, we will continue to break the cycle of poverty and adolescent pregnancy in young girls in Guatemala. Join us as we Empower Indigenous Guatemalan Girls to Shine Their Light!

Together in service,

Hugh McElroy

Hugh McElroy, Founder