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Who we are

One, Two… Tree! is a non-profit organisation working on education in Central America. We aim to make English accessible in Central America. 

Our efforts are intended as a tool for social empowerment and intercultural exchange. We teach in public schools, collaborate with local organisations and offer English classes  in our very own Learning Centre to those keen to learn.

Our idea is simple: collaboration

We reach to local organisations to use their premises and introduce English classes through volunteer work. This allows us to get involved in local educational systems and other local initiatives and reach a large number of children and adults through a sustainable and flexible cost model that can be scaled up or down in response to the community’s needs at any given moment.

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How do we work?

Volunteering with One, Two… Tree! is FREE, our volunteers only pay for their own expenses.

Collaboration

As volunteers, we work as a team as we know we go further together. Locally, we look to collaborate with other organisations to make the most of available resources, create synergies and use each organisation’s expertise to best serve the local community. 

Our organisation is only as large as our volunteers which means that we are only able to keep collaborating with local initiatives if we keep receiving brilliant people like you!

Adaptability

We adapt and are flexible to changing situations with the aim to provide a consistent and durable source of English Language education for the community in every given moment. We use our imagination, skills, and proactiveness to make things work in a sustainable way. We are grateful for any feedback so we can continuously improve.

Initiative

The program is developed on the ground by listening to and working with local communities to ensure we truly understand the context we work in. We seize  opportunities as they come and ensure personal growth and passions are tapped into as the program evolves. We look for passionate volunteers, keen to lead and be responsible for positive change. You will be part of a proactive and supportive team where your ideas and thoughts will be heard and important in the day-to-day of the project.

Respect

We live and teach with utter respect. We learn from the local culture and support each other with kindness, curiosity, humility, and empathy.

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Our vision

We share a vision of strong united communities and individuals in charge of their economies, ready to grasp and create the opportunities that work best for their future.

Why English?

English opens up new opportunities for our students to get their studies to the next level and have access to a wider range of jobs in the future. As the tourism industry is one of the main sources of income in Atitlan, followed by the production of goods, English is a way to empower the local community. 

In many non-English speaking countries, fluent English teachers are scarce, with the areas we work in being no exception. One, Two… Tree! volunteers support public schools and local organisations with English with the hope that these skills will gradually be acquired by local teachers.

Methodology

One, Two.. Tree! finds local and non-profit organisations to introduce free English classes with volunteer work.

These local partners are schools and small organisations involved in community and educational projects.

One, Two…tree! supplies volunteers, materials and resources for the development of English classes.

Local partners provide classroom facilities, and students and help us to integrate their educational system or community projects.

There is no cost for renting the premises nor a fee for delivering English classes.

Thanks to this simple structure, we are able to reach a large number of local kids, teenagers, and adults with little money.

Our team

Gary Carson

Academic Director in Latin America

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He does a great job looking after all our projects and handling our relations with public institutions. Gary started as a regular volunteer, soon he fell in love with Nicaragua and extended his stay until becoming a permanent member of our family. Basically, we want One Two Tree to look like Gary, that´s why we´re so happy to have him.

Pedro Pestana

Founder and Manager

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With over ten years of experience volunteering, Pedro decided to found this small project back in 2012 after an inspiring trip to Nicaragua. Hard worker and with a kind word in his face, he commands both teams from our head quarters office in Vigo, Spain.

Manuel Pestana

CRS manager

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He is old and retired, but he keeps us all up with his team spirit. Manuel takes care of the accounting, treasury and CSR projects. He worked as a CFO in a family company and as a manager for a large multinational company. He will also help us on his favorite subject: human capital.

English teaching volunteer coordinators in Guatemala

Candy, Toño and Nina

Our team of Volunteer Coordinators in Guatemala

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Since 2023, Candy, Toño and Nina have been the point of contact for our Guatemalan project, welcoming and helping volunteers  settle into the program and home stays, coordinating the Learning Centre and communicating with the schools and local projects of Santiago Atitlán. Want to know more about them? Have a look at the post we have specially made about the team on our blog.

They will welcome you with a smile and will make sure you feel home during your time in Santiago. Their passion for human connection and the power of education and volunteering has no end. Whatever abilities and ideas you would like to bring to the team they will make sure you feel supported and empowered to do so!

The team is convinced that One, Two… Tree! teaches much more than English, but values in equality, respect and a fighting spirit for a better world!

Antonio Sanjurjo

Volunteer Coordinator in Mexico

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After working as a journalist and in marketing for almost ten years, he decided to that dedicating his time to educate young children was more worthy than seating behind a computer. First in Cambodia and now in Mexico, he believes that education is the only thing that will save the world and that’s why he tries to transmit.

Borja Pedrosa and Carmen Gonzalez made us cool. They help us with the logo and marketing stuff. José Luis Berrocal is the responsible of our website and our IT solutions man. Thanks to him, you didn’t get this text on a carrier pigeon. Finally, our name and brand comes from Ana Fontan, she is a walking brain-storm.

We also get direct help from companies who support us through their services or products. Dinahosting provides free hosting services and Uría Menéndez assist us with all legal related matters. Rotulowcost produces signs and posters with our logos for free and Serigrafia Gallega takes care of all the printing stuff at almost no cost.

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