Shortly before Christmas in 2006, Amy McLaren turned to her future husband and pitched the ideal of going on a trip over the holidays. Given Amy’s adventurous spirit and fondness for living and working in far-off-places, her fiancée, Stu McLaren, shouldn’t have been surprised when she also suggested that for the trip, they raise some money and education supplies to donate to a vulnerable community in need.
Though Stu had every faith in Amy’s vision, he wasn’t sure that they could organize the details so quickly. But, Amy wouldn’t budge. Recalls Stu, “She told me, you are the business guy, you raise the money and I’ll arrange the trip.”
Together they raised $17,000 and headed to a village in El Salvador, using the donations to buy supplies for a local school.
This experience changed everything—and Village Impact was born.
More than a decade later, this shared vision and heart for making a positive difference in the world has grown into a community-led model of development that, by working through local partners and generous supporters from around the world, helps achieve long-term change for children, families and communities.
January 2010
Village Impact, originally called World Teacher Aid, is formed.
August 2012
First school is built - Shalom Primary School.
February 2013
Springs High School is built.
January 2014
Sinendet Primary School is built.
July 2015
Kimugul Primary School is built.
August 2015
Safina Haji Primary is built.
February 2016
Bright Hope Secondary School is built.
Safina Haji Secondary School is built.
August 2016
Baraka Shalom Primary School is built.
Amani Kuresoi Primary School is built.
July 2017
Sanmarico Farm Primary is built.
September 2017
Ndatho Hope Primary School is built.
April 2018
World Teacher Aid becomes Village Impact.
July 2020
2 new schools coming soon!