Turning Trash Into Treasure: How The US-based Non-Profit Long Way Home With Its Hero School Are Transforming Guatemalan Communities Resilient Earth Radio & podcast

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Turning Trash into Treasure: How the US-based Non-Profit Long Way Home with its Hero School are Transforming Guatemalan Communities

3d ago 58:00

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What if the trash polluting our environment could be transformed into schools, homes, and opportunities? In San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala, that's what's happening thanks to Matt Panaitz and Long Way Home. 20 years ago, Matt was a Peace Corps volunteer stationed in this predominantly Mayan community nestled in Guatemala's Western Highlands. Rather than returning to ordinary life in the U.S. after his service, Matt sold his car, moved back to Guatemala, and embarked on a remarkable journey. What began as building the town's first grass soccer field evolved into a revolutionary approach to education and sustainability. The Hero School campus now stands as a testament to possibility—20 buildings constructed from over 35,000 discarded tires and 100,000 plastic bottles filled with trash. This approach has earned recognition from UNESCO- aligning Education with Sustainable Development and ripples far beyond the school itself—in one village, students mapped every household, identified needs, and implemented 57 stove projects, with grateful residents throwing rose petals at their feet as they departed. By treating waste as a resource rather than a problem, they've created sustainable infrastructure while addressing poverty through education that empowers students to become heroes in their own communities. Learn more about volunteering,

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Resilient Earth Podcast (00:00:00)

2. Meet Matt Panaitz and Long Way Home (00:01:25)

3. How Trash Becomes Building Materials (00:04:22)

4. The Hero School's Educational Model (00:09:35)

5. Students Learning Through Community Projects (00:17:04)

6. Scaling Impact Through Teacher Education (00:26:42)

7. Future Vision and Global Collaboration (00:39:14)

8. Closing and Contact Information (00:50:22)

47 episodes