Gaïa was born in the early days of the pandemic, when schools across Mexico closed their doors and families were left wondering what education would look like next. Rather than waiting for things to go “back to normal,” a group of Puerto Morelos community members decided to build something new: a free, non-directive learning space rooted in autonomy, self-regulation, and social-emotional growth.
Over six years, Gaïa welcomed an incredibly diverse mix of learners — world schoolers, unschoolers, homeschoolers, and children from many nationalities — including many with physical, cognitive, sensory, and social challenges, as well as neurodivergent children. What the Gaïa team discovered along the way was striking: many of these children, who had struggled or even faced discrimination in traditional classrooms, thrived when given an environment built around their individuality rather than a one-size-fits-all curriculum.
Puerto Morelos currently has no dedicated educational space for young people with disabilities or neurodivergent learners. Gaïa wants to change that — and that’s where the Inclusive Workshop comes in.
Click here learn more about Gaïa, their new Inclusive Workshop and their need for donations, materials and volunteers to get this new program up and running.