Glasswing’s top 10 highlights of 2024

Published on December 27, 2024 by Glasswing

This past year brought a number of milestones worth celebrating! Below are the top 10 highlights of 2024 here at Glasswing.

We couldn’t have done any of it without our amazing community. A very heartfelt thank you for your dedication and support!

1. Increasing access to trauma-informed care

Through SanaMente, our flagship mental health program, over 17,000 frontline workers received trauma-informed care training in 2024.

Milestones from a year of increased access to mental health care included:

• We launched the SanaMente Podcast, available on YouTube and Spotify. The podcast is a platform for sparking and sharing conversations about mental health and well-being, featuring interviews with mental health specialists.
• We traveled to India and South Africa to share SanaMente with partner organizations, including Pratham International and Waves for Change.
• We implemented SanaMente in national hospitals in Guatemala, universities and schools in Honduras and El Salvador, and police forces in all three countries.

SanaMente is now in its third year of implementation. Collectively, Glasswing’s health programs reached 1.7 million people in 2024.

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2. Transforming schools into safe, supportive learning spaces

Glasswing’s Community Schools program and other educational activities supported more than 43,000 students in 2024. Additionally, over 70 young people served as Glasswing Fellows, contributing directly to their communities through internships.

Through our educational programs, we turn public schools into centers of community that have safe, supportive, and stimulating learning environments. We foster development through extracurricular activities and involve parents through initiatives such as Community Cafés, which strengthen the social fabric and provide tools for families to support their children’s academic growth.

Stay tuned for some exciting announcements in 2025, including opportunities to increase your impact in Latin American public schools. For a preview, visit Sponsor a School or contact Bridget Kane, Glasswing’s Director of US Engagement, at [email protected].

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3. Partnering for change

In 2024, Glasswing formed several exciting new partnerships. It’s through collaborations and genuine, equitable partnerships that real change happens.

With the Con Cora Foundation, founded by global artist Karol G, we launched “Rincones de la Calma” in four cities in Latin America. This project creates safe, private spaces in schools that students, teachers, and members of the educational community can turn to in moments of despair. It aims to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and cultivate communities of mutual support.

We also joined forces with the Vibra en Alta Foundation, established by superstar J Balvin, to improve access to educational opportunities in Medellín, Colombia. This collaboration allows us to implement extracurricular programs, student leadership, remedial education, trauma-informed care for mental well-being, and mentor-mentee relationships, along with engagement initiatives for parents and caregivers.

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4. Empowering young people to shape their future

In 2024, Glasswing continued to strengthen its commitment to youth with several major developments:

• The launch of Jóvenes con Propósito in Guatemala, with the support of USAID
• The launch of Jóvenes Unidos in El Salvador, also with support from USAID
• The expansion of Jóvenes Líderes de Impacto in Honduras and Guatemala, supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation

Jóvenes con Propósito will offer 25,000 young Guatemalans opportunities to develop their skills and lead positive change in their communities.

Through Jóvenes Unidos, 3,700 young people from Santa Ana, San Salvador, and San Miguel, El Salvador, will receive training, community-service internships, and support for their personal and professional development.

Jóvenes Líderes de Impacto offers first-job experiences within organizations dedicated to social impact. The program drives change in communities facing challenges including violence, poverty, and a lack of economic opportunities.

These programs are part of the Central American Service Corps (CASC), through which young people receive the tools they need to become active leaders and change agents in their communities.

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5. Building community and spreading compassion through volunteering

Volunteering is at the heart of our work. Acts of service from dedicated individuals and teams make it possible for communities to transform from within.

In 2024, over 8,000 volunteers made it possible for our initiatives to reach farther. Volunteers do everything from leading extracurricular clubs, to joining together for school revitalization projects, to serving as role models for young people.

Victoria, a 58-year-old volunteer in El Salvador, told us what it means to her to give back:

“Three years ago, the director of my school invited me to join the Community Schools program. As I became more involved, I learned to work with younger volunteers and adapted to new teaching methods. Today, I feel inspired by the connection between students and volunteers, which motivates me to bring joy to the lives of others. For me, being part of this program means commitment, joy, and fulfillment.”

One area where volunteering touches the lives of many is in the renewal of public spaces. In 2024, we impacted over two million people through public-space projects.

An example is a park in San Miguel, El Salvador, that has become a center of community activity. Antony, 16, who is from San Miguel, told us about it:

“When I was younger, I used to come to the park to practice soccer, but the field was deteriorated. Now, we finally have a place to play sports and be healthy together. This park is not only a place for sports but also for taking care of our mental health, improving communication skills, and creating opportunities.”

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6. Meeting students where they are

We use the Teaching at the Right Level methodology, developed by Pratham, to teach students according to their learning level, rather than their age or grade.

By the end of the program:

• 6 out of 10 students were able to read short stories, and 5 out of 10 correctly answered reading-comprehension questions (previously, 1 out of 10 could read short stories, although they struggled to understand the content)
• 6 out of 10 could now perform subtractions (previously, 1 in 10 could)
• 7 out of 10 advanced in at least one math skill

Looking ahead, we will be introducing Un Salto al Futuro (“Leap Forward”) in 2025. This is a school-transition program designed to provide young children with the tools to overcome early learning challenges.

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7. Instilling a strong sense of belonging for NYC migrant youth

What do recently arrived migrant youth need? We asked that question to Glasswing New York students and members of the educational community during a roundtable in the spring, and we continued to shape our New York programs to directly address those needs.

Glasswing New York in 2024 was all about turning thoughtful listening into purposeful action. Students participated in various activities that promoted personal and professional growth. During a fun and engaging summer program, for example, participants learned chess, practiced yoga, meditated, toured museums, wrote comedy skits, and even performed magic. They also learned about different careers from guest experts, helping them plan for their futures.

Thanks to our partners, Glasswing New York provides a space where young people can connect, build a supportive community, and flourish in a new home.

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8. Celebrating 10 years of impact: Glasswing’s 10th Annual Gala

On October 10, 2024, we celebrated our 10th Annual Benefit Gala in New York City, an event that brought together over 450 individuals committed to social change, including business leaders, celebrities, and key partners.

The gala honored international model and entrepreneur Valentina Ferrer for her volunteer service and mentorship work in New York. During a speech, Valentina announced Glasswing’s new partnership with J Balvin‘s Vibra En Alta Foundation.

Howard G. Buffett, President and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, received the first-ever Glasswing Humanitarian Award for his impact on communities and youth worldwide. In an acceptance speech, Howard Warren Buffett, Howard G. Buffett’s son, announced the Foundation’s pledge of $11.6 million to continue supporting the Jóvenes Líderes de Impacto service-learning initiative.

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9. Building global connections

What we learn globally, we apply locally. We believe in building international connections that strengthen collective impact. In 2024, our team members represented Glasswing at several international events, sharing our vision and learning from experts in various fields.

These included:

• Glasswing President Celina de Sola participated in a panel at the Bhutan Innovation Forum, moderated by Sheila Sarma, President of the SRS Family Foundation. The panel explored how to integrate mindfulness, mental health, and well-being into educational systems.
• In South Africa, Mark Loyka, Country Director for the US; Maritza Trejo, Regional Director of Education; and Michell Hernández and Rodrigo Recinos, Club Coaches, participated in an emotional wellness training with Waves for Change.
• Katy Lazo, Volunteering Coordinator in El Salvador, attended the IAVE World Volunteer Conference in Busan, South Korea, where she shared insights into the future of volunteering.
• Maritza Trejo and part of the Education team from El Salvador and Guatemala visited India to learn more about the Teaching at the Right Level methodology developed by Pratham.

These international experiences teach us new strategies and approaches, while reinforcing our belief that global change starts with local actions.

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10. Reaching over 4.2 million people

Lastly but most importantly, we wish to thank our donors, partners, and volunteers for your incredible support this year. Because of your dedication to young people and communities across the Americas, we reached over 4.2 million people in 15 countries in 2024.

Behind that number are countless inspiring stories. With the support he received from Jóvenes Líderes de Impacto, Josué, a 21-year-old from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, was able to start his own shoe-making business. Lía, a seven-year-old from the Girls’ Club in Panama, told us that she now dares to be strong and brave. Orlando, a nurse in Honduras, described how much the well-being of his hospital’s staff and patients has improved since implementing SanaMente mental health practices.

It’s because of you that they and so many others are discovering the remarkable capacity for change that they have within.