Hi, we’re the Ixil Bloom team. Ixil Bloom is a small special-education outreach program based in Chajul, Guatemala — a Maya Ixil community where formal special education services have historically been unavailable. Until recently, children and adults with developmental disabilities had little to no access to school-based supports, and families were left to navigate complex needs on their own.
Ixil Bloom was founded by Rob Hibbs, a special education teacher and behavior specialist, who works alongside a growing local team to build sustainable, culturally responsive supports for families in the region. Together, we partner with caregivers, educators, and community members to expand access to individualized instruction, skill development, and family guidance — helping ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.
We began by working closely with just two young men, building individualized supports, developing trust with their families, and learning how to provide services in a way that was culturally responsive and sustainable. What started as a small, focused effort has grown steadily and intentionally. Today, we serve fourteen students with diverse needs and have built a team of four dedicated local staff members who are deeply committed to this work.
As families have seen progress, increased communication, greater independence, and more opportunities for meaningful participation, word has spread throughout the community. More families are reaching out, hopeful that their children can finally access the support and encouragement they have long been seeking. This growth reflects both the tremendous need in the community and the trust that is being built day by day.
Our current model
We do home visits and small-group sessions in community spaces (including the local library), and we coach caregivers in Spanish and Ixil. Most students don’t have official diagnoses, but many show characteristics of Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities. We work with youth and adults, meeting them where they are with practical, low-cost tools families can use right away.
The team
This only works because of local partners. Baltazar—our program specialist and co-founder—is essential for communication in the Ixil-speaking community and delivery of services and resources to families. Consuelo brings strong program development skills as well as firsthand experience supporting a relative with Down syndrome. Her lived experience allows her to build immediate trust and form meaningful, authentic connections with families. Elena and Francisco bring dedication, consistency, and a deep commitment to the children and families we serve. They are actively engaged in implementing instructional strategies, supporting skill development, and collaborating closely with caregivers to ensure progress continues both during sessions and at home. We’re steadily building a locally led team so the work continues year-round.
What we teach (and how)
- Functional communication: requests, choice-making, basic gesture/Pictures communication supports, and visual schedules.
- Life skills: dressing, mealtime routines, chores, community safety, and calm-down strategies.
- Hygiene and health: handwashing, toothbrushing, toileting plans, menstrual health education, and simple habits like hydration and sleep routines.
- Vocational and pre-employment: following multi-step tasks, time-on-task, safety, money skills, and sample work (packaging, sorting, light food prep, agriculture tasks).
- Family coaching: we model, families practice, then we refine together. We make visuals and take-home sheets in Spanish/Ixil and run parent circles for peer support.
Early wins
- Connected a 10-year-old boy with an audiologist six hours away so he could receive fitted hearing aids and hear for the first time.
- Provided behavior therapy for a 23-year-old man with Down syndrome who had severe hand-biting; we’ve extinguished that behavior and taught him to feed himself independently.
- Connected a boy with severe seizures to a neurologist three hours away; he was prescribed medication that has significantly reduced his seizures.
- Launched a regular special education class in the local library focused on academic skills and community-based learning.
What support does
- Classroom and home materials (visuals, laminating supplies, timers, hygiene kits)
- Medical visits and care coordination
- Life-skills and caregiver trainings, plus occasional family events
- Transportation expenses
- Portable “classroom kit” we bring to homes
Where we’re headed (next 6–12 months)
- Formalize simple intake and progress tracking
- Monthly caregiver workshops; quarterly teacher trainings
- Pilot supported work experiences with local partners
- Keep translating and co-creating materials in Spanish/Ixil
- Train community volunteers—so Ixil Bloom becomes truly local
If you want to get involved—fund a kit, help translate materials, or connect us with a school or clinic—reach out. Every little bit helps Ixil Bloom grow in Chajul. Thanks for reading and for being part of this.
