From Mohawk College to Guatemala - Support Winter 2026 Learning Opportunity

two health workers interacting with a small child in a rural setting

The Department of Allied Health at Mohawk College needs your help!

From February 16–20, 2026, a group of 24 students and 4 faculty members from three distinct programs – Recreation Therapy, Massage Therapy, and Autism and Behavioural Science – will embark on a transformative journey to Guatemala. There, they will collaborate with Dream, Invest, Grow (DIG), a humanitarian organization committed to breaking the cycle of poverty and malnutrition through sustainable community empowerment. Your contribution will directly support travel, supplies, and research tools, ensuring that every selected student can participate in this transformative experience regardless of financial barriers.

A hand up, not a hand out

DIG’s mission to provide a hand up, not a hand out, aligns seamlessly with Mohawk College’s values of social responsibility, applied learning, and community impact. Our students will not only support local communities through hands-on projects, but will also gain invaluable real-world experience that will shape their academic and professional journeys. 

One of the central efforts our students will contribute to is the smokeless stove program. This initiative replaces hazardous open-air cooking fires with wood-burning stoves equipped with chimneys, thereby reducing toxic smoke inhalation and promoting healthier environments. According to the World Health Organization, over 4.3 million premature deaths per year are linked to household air pollution, largely from such indoor fires.

In addition to this being a service-learning project, the trip is also an applied research opportunity! Students and faculty will conduct qualitative and quantitative evaluations on the smokeless stove program’s impact, both on the local Mayan community and on the students themselves. These reflections and findings will enhance student research skills and contribute to long-term, data-driven program improvement.

Learn more about how to support this transformative student opportunity.