CadaniƱo 2025 Highlights
- timothy martiny
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
A Year of Deepening Impact, Growing Leaders, and
Strengthened Families
Every year at CadaniƱo is amazing, and then the next year is even better!
2025 was no exception. This year, CadaniƱo served 244 students from 183 families in a year marked by maturity and depth as students stepped into leadership, families were strengthened in deeper ways, new partnerships blossomed, and systems were built to support long-term transformation.
We continue to see that when faith, education, and family services unite in an accessible, consistent format, through programs rooted in Gospel centered excellence and carried out by local team members with a heart for service to their community, lives are truly transformed.
STEM & Innovation: Expanding Opportunity and Vision
One significant development in 2025 was the expansion of our STEM education programs, particularly through the new STEM Lab at our San JosƩ Pinula center. Thanks to the vision and hard work of Alexander, a high school volunteer who raised $13,000 to upgrade our learning space with high-end, cutting-edge 3D printers, laser cutters, and LEGO Education/Arduino Robotics tools, our students continue to achieve new heights.
This year, students not only learned technical skills, but they also became creators and problem-solvers. STEM fairs gave students the opportunity to present their projects to parents, peers, and visitors, reinforcing confidence and ownership of their learning. These efforts were highlighted on the second page of Guatemala's largest newspaper, underscoring the broader impact of youth-led innovation.
Importantly, our teachers were trained alongside students, ensuring sustainability and local ownership of these programs. Through growing partnerships with universities such as Universidad LandĆvar, UFM, and others, students were exposed to higher education pathways, helping them envision futures that once felt out of reach.
Family Strengthening: Bringing Hope Home
At CadaniƱo, we believe transformation is not limited to our four walls. In 2025, our family-strengthening efforts continued to deepen and become more consistent. Through home visits, family days, and parent Bible study groups, we walked alongside parents as their children grew.
This year included family Bible studies during our vacation course to complement our monthly womenās gatherings, creating a space for families to learn more deeply. Our lending library for parents and regular devotionals supported spiritual growth at home, reinforcing faith and values beyond the walls of our centers.
Special moments like Motherās Day and Fatherās Day celebrations reminded families of their God-given worth and role in shaping the next generation. Again and again, we saw that when families are supported, children flourish.
Youth Leadership & Identity Formation
In 2025, many of our older students stepped into new levels of leadership. Through our partnership with FundaciĆ³n GĆ©nesis, 59 students completed 115 leadership training courses, helping them discover their potential and build self-confidence. Students who were once shy or withdrawn began emerging as leaders, equipped to influence their peers and create positive change in their communities.
A highlight of the year was the Youth Retreat with Orphan Outreach, which provided space for reflection, worship, and deep relational growth. These experiences strengthened studentsā sense of identity, faith, and responsibility, and we are seeing the impact as our youth mentor younger students, lead clubs, and serve others.
Missions & Service: Faith in Action
Missions remained central to CadaniƱoās culture in 2025. The 31 youth in our missionsā club taught monthly Bible classes to over 120 children in their communities, putting faith into action through service. One powerful example was a house-building mission trip, where our students served building homes for families who have even less than they do.
Scholarships & Educational Pathways
We continued supporting graduating students through ongoing scholarships and university preparation. Visits to universities like UFM and San Carlos allowed students to see what their academic futures might look like, helping to bridge the gap between aspiration and opportunity.
For many students, these experiences represent a first step toward higher education and a powerful reminder that perseverance, faith, and hard work can open doors.
Community Outreach & Milestones
Throughout the year, CadaniƱo created meaningful touchpoints with students and families through Orientation Meetings, Easter Celebrations, Motherās Day and Fatherās Day events, Graduations, and Christmas Outreaches.
These key moments served as opportunities to build relationships, minister to and disciple the families we serve, encourage them, and share the hope of the Gospel in a deeper way.
Greater Local Partnerships
None of this work happens in isolation. In 2025, we were strengthened by many local partnerships with: BORE/SUMA Foundation, Casa De Libertad, the Mayor's office of San Jose Pinula, Kidventure, AMG, Bucker International, and numerous volunteers who came alongside to make our work possible. Seeing local people get excited and involved in what we are doing is an incredible joy.
Global Impact, Empowering Others
A particularly meaningful milestone was sharing CadaniƱoās model at the CAFO Summit 2025, where our team trained leaders from around the world on Gospel-centered, family-focused care. This moment affirmed that what God is doing locally in Guatemala can inform and inspire work globally.
We also continued to assist, mentor, consult and support several grassroots community organizations serving vulnerable children in Guatemala through afterschool programs.
Staff Development & Team Growth
Behind our work is a committed and growing team. In 2025, we intentionally invested in our staff through expanded trainings, conferences, and retreats, including the ACH (Alianza Cristiana para los HuĆ©rfanos) Conference and retreats with the Casa de Libertad Church. Internally, our team completed trainings focused on Teamwork, Service, and Order. Key staff members also received additional leadership development through Franklin Coveyās Multiplication framework, equipping them to develop and multiply leaders within our organization. The use of updated staff surveys and evaluations has given us deeper insight into our teams needs and has strengthened our ability to support them well.
We also welcomed new team members Gabriela and Andrea, who have quickly become integral to our work.
Strengthening Our Foundation: Operations & Systems
To support long-term sustainability, we invested heavily in operations this year. We updated Standard Operating Procedures and training manuals, while creating and implementing the first phase of our new database system in Airtable to better track students, families, and program outcomes. This new tool has been an incredible asset, enabling us to be more efficient in monitoring students' progress, giving us greater insight, and providing case management for our family support services.
Improving the operations in our STEM, Reading, and Bible working groups has helped us to identify problems, create solutions, and rapidly make adjustments to refine programming while ensuring consistency across both centers.
Program Highlights
Computer & Technology:Ā Students received 1,015 classes and completed 238 courses. We updated our MS Office curriculum and then launched an Introduction to AI course, teaching students how to engage responsibly with emerging technology.
STEM:Ā Through 623 classes Students completed 2,586 projects in expanded programs that taught 3D printing and robotics while our student-led clubs gave them practical, future-ready skills.
Bible & Discipleship: In 2025, children and youth participated in 825 Bible classes focused on Godās love, faithfulness, and redemptive plan. Teaching series explored key Biblical themes and figures from Godās people in Egypt to the life and teachings of Jesus, while youth studies emphasized following Christ, Biblical truths, and identity through series such as Lost Things, Daniel, and Emmanuel - God With Us.
Reading:Ā Our reading program expanded with new incentives and prizes, with students reading 1,864 books and 2,622 reading comprehension lessons in our improved curriculum.
As we close 2025, we do so with humble gratitude and expectant faith. We are incredibly grateful for all those who have walked alongside CadaniƱo through prayer, partnership, and generosity. Together, we are witnessing lives changed, families strengthened, and communities renewed.
We look forward to what God will continue to build in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Timothy Martiny
Ā
Partner with CadaniƱo today and impact lives for eternity!
