True prosperity is exemplified by a society that nurtures its people physically, psychologically, and spiritually and creates environments where everyone feels safe, valued, and connected. Highland Support Project (HSP), a nonprofit organization, helps communities achieve true prosperity by empowering them to become agents of change.
The “Highlands” in HSP’s name isn’t a mere geographical reference. Highland regions have been centers of indigenous culture, resistance, and resilience in the Americas. However, historical inequalities have left many of their communities struggling with poverty and systemic barriers that hinder self-determination.
Guadalupe Ramírez
Guadalupe Ramírez and Ben Blevins founded HSP in 1993 during an uncertain time in Guatemala when violence left a leadership void within indigenous communities. The loss of experienced leaders entrenched patterns of dependency, weakening community agency and eroding cultural resilience. HSP was, therefore, built to strengthen local leadership, drive community-centered development, and break poverty cycles.
To truly understand HSP’s mission, one must know the story of Guadalupe, a tale that attests to the power of community empowerment. Guadalupe’s family endured hardship and grief, with her grandmother losing nearly all her children to preventable diseases. Many in their village faced the same tragic reality.
In the 1950s, a group of Belgian nuns introduced the concept of cooperatives to the community, planting the seeds of self-sufficiency. Local farmers at the time grew wheat but faced economic obstacles due to market oversupply. The nuns encouraged the farmers to pool resources and purchase a truck, enabling them to transport their crops to distant markets where wheat was scarce and prices were higher.
This seemingly simple act sparked a series of changes. Cooperative profits funded schools and clinics, providing children like Guadalupe with access to education and healthcare. Within a single generation, a community that once struggled with preventable loss later produced leaders, educators, and professionals. This includes Guadalupe herself, who became an international grassroots environmental organizer.
The founder’s story shows the massive impact of cooperatives. It’s worth emphasizing that the nuns didn’t impose solutions. They helped community members gain knowledge and acquire skills. Guadalupe’s father, once a farmer, became the general secretary of the cooperative, which today stands as a thriving financial institution in Guatemala’s western highlands.
Guadalupe recalls a saying from her father: “Poverty is the inability to take advantage of opportunities.” She lives by this philosophy, believing that change is possible no matter the circumstance as long as one is confident and perseveres. In Guatemala, many women have internalized narratives that limit their sense of capability. Guadalupe’s journey counters this, as it shows that individuals (and, by extension, communities) can rise through effort and education.
HSP’s approach was also shaped by the vision of its co-founder. Ben grew up in Virginia and was influenced by his family’s commitment to social justice. His father, a Methodist minister, and his mother, an active abolitionist during the state’s desegregation era, taught him the values of equity and service.
After obtaining a degree in Global Studies at the University of Richmond, Ben, a deep ecology educator, traveled to Guatemala to participate in accompaniment work—a practice where foreign allies support individuals at risk of political violence, serving as nonviolent witnesses. This role placed Benjamin in grassroots communities. He was able to observe local cooperative development efforts and learn the importance of community-led initiatives.
“When I first went to Guatemala, I didn’t understand why so many indigenous elders distrusted charity. But I came to see that a lot of charity isn’t about solving problems but making donors feel good. I realized that real change requires commitment, transparency, and partnerships that empower communities to thrive on their own terms,” he remarks.
Ben later encountered Guadalupe in the field, starting the beginning of a personal and professional partnership. Their shared passion for community empowerment led the husband and wife to collaborate on grassroots initiatives, giving birth to the Highland Support Project.
HSP made it its mission to address systemic gaps left by conventional development practices, particularly the privatization of essential services such as water, sanitation, and electricity, empowering local people to take charge of vital services. HSP’s approach of creating community-based infrastructure cooperatives fosters self-reliance and strengthens community ties.
Each of the Highland Support Project’s initiatives aims to tackle these issues. Firstly, the organization creates intercultural community-centered engagements for academic groups, church missions, and socially conscious citizens, emphasizing cultural exchange and community-driven projects. In Guatemala, it partners with Asociación de Mujeres del Altiplano (AMA) to support indigenous Maya women in health, education, midwifery, and entrepreneurship. It also collaborates with the Apache Nation on the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona and Richmond Public Schools in Virginia.
Guadalupe Ramírez
HSP promotes deep ecology—the belief that all life is interconnected—through the Deep Ecology Education Program (DEEP). Partnering with Virginia schools, it creates pollinator gardens, integrates ecological curricula, and encourages environmental stewardship.
Meanwhile, in peri-urban Guatemalan communities where urbanization has outpaced infrastructure and left families without basic sanitation, HSP’s Santa Catarina WASH Campaign can be beneficial. The initiative constructs community sinks and sustainable sanitation systems, serving up to 400 people per installation. HSP ensures that residents can manage and maintain these systems in the long run.
The forward-thinking organization, acknowledging that indoor air pollution from open-pit fires is a leading cause of death among women and children worldwide, is also known for its clean-air stoves that vent harmful smoke outside homes and reduce respiratory illnesses. HSP’s stoves also use less wood, curbing deforestation and lowering fuel costs. Moreover, they free up women’s time, enabling them to pursue education, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement—a step toward empowerment.
The Highland Support Project’s initiatives and projects show what’s possible when communities are given the tools to shape their own futures. In Guadalupe’s story, the ripple effects of one generation’s empowerment are seen. Meanwhile, Ben’s story attests to the impact of listening, learning, and adapting. Ultimately, in the communities they serve, the strength that comes from collaboration and mutual respect is evident.
