PARTNER PICK: LONG WAY HOME

liachoi3
Aug 7
6 min read

Updated: Aug 8

Have you ever reached out to someone, just on a whim, and it ended up changing everything?

I sure have. Whether it was cold emailing someone on LinkedIn, DMing a possible college roommate, or randomly complimenting a stranger’s outfit in passing, these small, unplanned moments of connection have a way of unfolding into something much bigger.

Building relationships doesn’t always require the perfect pitch or the right credentials. Sometimes, all it takes is swallowing your fear of rejection or no response and instead showing up with honesty, curiosity, and a genuine desire to connect.

That’s how our partnership with Long Way Home began. No formal introductions or elaborate proposals–just W.A.T.A’s founder Cyrus, with unused water filters in one hand and an idea in the other, sending a message to a nonprofit organization focused on sustainable design in Guatemala.

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First of all, hi! I’m Lia, W.A.T.A.’s Social Media/Content Intern. As we start up our blog page again after a year-long break, Cyrus and I had extensive talks about how we should kick things off again. Both of us had various ideas, but one thing we wholeheartedly agreed on was that the blogs should not only emphasize what W.A.T.A stands for and our accomplishments, but truly tell a deeper story. Something raw, emotional, and unfiltered.

We also agreed to feature a range of W.A.T.A.-related voices in the blog, so you won’t just be reading future posts by me, but also ones written by Cyrus, or our Intern Manager, Austin.

And what better way to start one of our new blog series, Partner Pick, than by highlighting an organization that’s been part of so much of our growth, and our partner in our most recent trip, Long Way Home.

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The logo for the sustainable and environmental nonprofit organization, Long Way Home.

Founded by Matt Paneitz, Long Way Home (LWH) is an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to combining sustainable design, environmental conservancy, and education in San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala. Since 2009, the organization has pioneered environmentally friendly building methods to create an innovative campus that doubles as a living classroom.

At the heart of their mission is the Hero School, where local teachers and students work alongside international volunteers to support their local community through projects, designing and building local structures ranging from stoves to sidewalks to water cisterns. These student-led projects encourage community ownership, meaningful learning, and skill development in sustainable construction.

LWH offers immersive volunteer opportunities that provide real-world training in green building, blueprint design, and community collaboration. Participants gain hands-on experience and mentorship while directly contributing to campus growth and learning about Guatemalan culture, ultimately supporting LWH’s broader mission of blending sustainable infrastructure, ecology, and education to nurture future leaders.

LWH’s work aligns with everything W.A.T.A. stands for–sustainability, equity, and grassroots community care. But our partnership didn’t begin with some carefully planned collaboration.

With 50 unused water filters sitting in his apartment saved for a future trip to Vietnam or Myanmar, Cyrus figured he could raise more funds later–he wanted to give out the filters to those in need as soon as possible.

A friend had recently traveled to Guatemala, so on a whim, Cyrus googled “nonprofits in Guatemala” and emailed the first five organizations he found. One of them, Long Way Home, responded. Matt, the founder and Director, replied with something simple yet powerful: Yes, we need water filters. Let’s talk.

That one email turned into a phone call. The call turned into a trip. Over Labor Day weekend in 2024, just three weeks after the initial email, Cyrus flew down to San Juan Comalapa to see the school and was immediately amazed by what he found: a fully functioning campus made from recycled trash of glass bottles and tires, rooted in green building and social impact.

“It's something Matt's been working on for like,10 plus years. He’s working on building a curriculum at the school that helps the students become better humans in the world, versus just an education where they learn the basic stuff that everyone else learns and then try to get it done.” --Cyrus

Since then, Matt has shown big support for W.A.T.A., providing Cyrus with connections, resources, and knowledge that has helped guide him through the process of starting a nonprofit. This collaborative relationship has helped us pilot our ambassador program, host volunteer trips, and grow deeper roots in Guatemala. Matt became not just a partner, but a mentor, and LWH our model for more trips, projects, and volunteer opportunities.

LWH also has strong ties with the local community, where we’ve also met others like Roberto, a local builder, community leader, and tour guide in Comalapa. He supports our trips on the ground, helping ambassadors connect with families, distribute filters, and build relationships with others in the community. He also built the volunteer house, which is where we stay whenever we visit Comalapa.

“I find [Roberto] like a brother to me. He's only a year older than me but has two kids, and just to see how he lived his life, set up this home, and built what he raises his kids to do, and how he supports what I'm doing and how he wants to help people, is such a cool and inspiring experience.” --Cyrus

Roberto helps translate to Guatemalan families during interviews.

We’re still figuring things out, but every trip, every conversation, and every new face helps us grow. When Cyrus returned to Guatemala over Fourth of July weekend this year, Roberto accompanied him to help interview and survey families about their water needs, in which they exchanged trash to receive filters, and the trash would help build more of the school.

Roberto translated, asked questions, and connected with people in ways we couldn’t have done alone. He also brought his daughter and son to the interviews so they could gain exposure to the importance and urgency of our mission, along with figuring out what they truly want to do in the future. His son, Daron, extensively helped during the interviews, explaining the filtration systems to the families and answering questions.

Roberto carries buckets to help with the water filters.

Now, Roberto is stepping into an even bigger role by supporting our W.A.T.A. ambassadors when we’re not physically there. Overall, the generosity and commitment LWH has shown, without asking for much in return, is something we deeply admire and don’t take for granted.

“I just wish I had more to support him with. I wish I was able to pay them to help me out, but I don't have that ability yet. I’m just super grateful for the relationship with them, and I'm excited to have this partnership with a nonprofit that will be open to us going on trips there.” --Cyrus

Looking ahead, many of our future volunteer trips will center around Guatemala and the LWH school. More people will get the chance to experience what Cyrus and W.A.T.A. as a whole did–the kids, the community, the joy of collaboration.

And that’s what this Partner Pick series is really about: the power of partnerships. Not the kind that require contracts, experience, or credentials, but the kind that just start with a shared desire to help, and naturally blossom from there.

Matt, Roberto, the students, our ambassadors–they don’t come from the same place, speak the same language, or even share the same background. But in just a couple trips, W.A.T.A. and LWH were able to connect through something simple yet universally human: the urge to show up for others and make an impact.

This is what makes these relationships so powerful. That’s what keeps this work, and our mission of clean water, moving forward. Just like how easily Cyrus found communities that need access to water and nonprofit organizations like LWH, anyone can just as easily make a difference with even the smallest actions, including you. So don’t feel scared or hesitant to reach out to something, whether it’s an organization, a person, or even just trying something new. Because fear is temporary, but relationships, experiences, and memories last forever.

Thank you to Long Way Home for your support, resources, and connections. We at W.A.T.A. are excited to see where this partnership continues to grow, who we continue to inspire, and where we continue to make change. And we hope that you, too, will stick around for this ongoing journey–your support and interest mean not only everything to us but to those around the world we are committed to helping.

Share our story and mission with people around you. Follow us on our social media. Check out our website. Donate directly.

And don’t forget to support Long Way Home as well–we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. If you want to learn more about them and their mission, click here:

What is Long Way Home?