Photographers Without Borders | Chajul, Guatemala 2018
ROOTS OF LITERACY VOICES OF LANGUAGE
Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI) offers early literacy, scholarships, professional development, and Ixil language preservation to youth, women, and families in Chajul, Guatemala.
Reading hour at the Sabre Sin Límites (Limitless Knowledge) Community Library, the town’s first public library, Chajul, Guatemala.
"We saw kids who wanted to learn but didn’t know where to go. So, we changed what we saw."
For children in Chajul, learning beyond the classroom was nearly impossible. Many tried to do homework on dirt floors at home, squinting through smoke from cooking fires and the dim light from small windows. Teachers lacked books and resources, and parents—most of whom had never been to school—were unable to support their children’s education.
Out of this need, Limitless Horizons Ixil created the Saber Sin Límites Community Library, a safe, well-lit space where students can read, study, and explore anything that sparks their curiosity. The library plays a critical role in a community where most residents are primarily monolingual in Ixil, and learning Spanish is a privilege reserved for those who can attend school. With over 10,000 bilingual Ixil–Spanish books, weekly bilingual story hours, and cultural storytelling sessions, the library strengthens children’s literacy while preserving the Ixil Maya language and culture. Celebrating language, traditions, and heritage, it nurtures cultural pride and ensures future generations remain deeply grounded in who they are.
Today, the library serves around 500 youth each year through reading clubs, science classes, homework support, and literacy programs, opening doors to new opportunities and inspiring a lifelong love of learning.
Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI) empowers the indigenous Maya Ixil community in Chajul, Guatemala, by expanding access to quality education, professional development, and economic opportunities while fostering community-led sustainable development and preserving cultural traditions. At the heart of their work is Colegio Horizontes, the community’s first comprehensive middle and high school, offering full-day, culturally responsive education that prepares youth to become leaders of change. LHI also established the Saber Sin Límites Community Library, Chajul’s first public library, providing a safe, well-lit space where children can read, study, and explore, while supporting literacy and the preservation of the Ixil language and culture. Beyond academics, LHI provides scholarships and student support services, runs a traditional artisan program that empowers local women, and offers job training for youth, building pathways toward brighter futures for the whole community.
Field Notes
In 2018, as a member of Photographers Without Borders, Canada, I spent 11 days documenting Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI) in Chajul, Guatemala. Nestled in the highlands of Quiché, Chajul is a community deeply scarred by Guatemala’s 36-year civil war (1960–1996), during which the Maya Ixil people were targeted in campaigns of violence and displacement. Although the 1996 Peace Accords officially ended the war, the community continues to face poverty, political marginalization, limited access to quality schools, and linguistic isolation, as many adults speak only Ixil.
Chajul is a town of survivors. Adults work tirelessly to support their families, while today’s youth, growing up in the shadow of war, aspire to learn, imagine, and create—to rebuild their families and community. Girls are attending school at higher rates, and more young people are graduating, pursuing careers in teaching, engineering, law, and agriculture.
Immersed in the community, I witnessed the resilience and determination of the Maya Ixil and the transformative impact of grassroots education. Documenting LHI’s work required cultural sensitivity, attentiveness, and ethical observation—from classrooms to homes—to ensure the stories of children, families, and educators were told with respect and authenticity. The resulting portfolio continues to support LHI’s outreach, donor campaigns, and advocacy, amplifying the voices of a community reclaiming its future.
Chajul, a Maya Ixil town in Guatemala’s highlands, was devastated by the 1960–1996 civil war and remains impoverished, with limited education, opportunity, and linguistic isolation.
Many in this community carry memories of the Civil War that most of us cannot fathom—years of living in constant fear, and of witnessing or enduring unimaginable acts.
Chajul remains primarily an agrarian society, cultivating corn, coffee, and subsistence crops that are often insufficient to feed its families.
Chajul’s youth, raised in the shadow of war, are determined to rebuild their community. More children—especially girls—are finishing school and pursuing futures as teachers, engineers, and leaders.
Librarians help with homework and cultivate students’ literacy and research skills. Chajul’s first public library promotes the Ixil language and storytelling and supports community leaders.
In Chajul, the Artisan Program empowers women to earn a fair income through traditional weaving. “The income I earn I use for my kids’ education.” – María, artisan and mother