Who is Kim Escalante?

Kim Escalante, Global Ambassador for Project Alianza and certified resistance exercise instructor, is the first woman to run and summit Guatemala’s 37 volcanoes in a record-setting 12 days.

Global Ambassadors are a community of strong women who use their platform to promote Alianza’s mission to hire and train local women as literacy instructors and scholarship coaches.

Ninja Warrior, Allyssa Beird, and Yoga with Adrienne have used their platform for good with Project Alianza, too.

Why did Kim dedicate her volcano-run challenge to Project Alianza?

Rural children, especially girls, often drop out after primary school. Many are pulled from school to help care for younger ones or contribute to household earnings. Some families, who earn as little as $1/day, simply can’t afford the cost of uniforms, supplies, and transportation.

The result? More than half of school-aged girls drop out before they complete high school. That number is higher - much higher - for remote villages. This is especially the case in rural indigenous Maya communities in Guatemala, where most girls attend school for two or three years before dropping out.

Kim originates from a community like this and it was education that gave her a path to a better life. That’s why she’s become a Global Ambassador for Project Alianza and dedicated her volcano-run challenge to Project Alianza.

We sat down with Kim to learn more about what drives her:

Project Alianza: Why did you choose to dedicate your run to girls’ education?

Kim Escalante: It feels great to reach a goal, like the top of a volcano, when we do it for ourselves. You feel empowered, you feel strong, you feel happy – you feel euphoric up there.

But really, if we want to add value to our world, it's by doing something more than for ourselves, doing something for people who need it.

Thinking in this way can really be a great opportunity to support people in need of education, which is a very strong issue here in Guatemala and in Latin America. The support you [Project Alianza] provide to the girls can be life-changing for them. Having an education will open doors for them. So, when we can visualize that, it is in our power. If we are not the ones who are going to help the people who need it, who is going to do it? If it's not us, now, who's going to do it?

If we are not the ones who are going to help the people who need it, who is going to do it? If it's not us, now, who's going to do it?

Project Alianza: How has being a fitness coach, specifically for women, helped you in your personal growth?

Kim Escalante: I believe that the relationship I have with each of my students is two-way. I learn a lot from them.

For example, Alejandra Duarte, my friend and mentor was one of the first people who hired me as a coach. She was the first woman to run Guatemala’s 37 volcanoes. At the time she did it, I was blown away. I was like wow, that's amazing. She did it in 15 days. It was a very beautiful thing that had a great impact on me. And that is what I love, these women are my role models.

That’s why women role models are so important. I will always be inspired by women.

Want to join Kim on a hike?

Kim is an incredible role model for young girls in Guatemala, encouraging them to reach for their dreams and inspiring them to be strong leaders. We are so grateful for her advocacy, as it gives girls the confidence they need to make a difference in Latin America.

We’re going on an epic volcano hike with Kim this August 2023.

If you’re interested, send us a note at misty@projectalianza.org.

Follow Project Alianza on Instagram. Follow Kim Escalante on Instagram.

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