The land and buildings where Hekab Be Biblioteca sits were originally a school founded in 1988. When a new school was built in the Akumal Pueblo, then local volunteers petitioned to use the facility. Hekab Be means “Open Road” in Maya, and this is what we strive to provide… an open road to learning, discovery, and better futures. Thanks to the generosity and bigheartedness of library friends, the dream to keep the road to learning open remains alive. The most important thing we provide for the community is a free after-school program for local children. We offer classes in English, Music, Art, Environmental Education, and physical fitness, as well as Homework Help. Our goal is to keep the children learning and excited about learning so they will do all they can to stay in school and have the opportunity for whatever future they desire to pursue. Additionally, we provide a 4-week Summer School program in which we establish long-term projects for the children to focus on and complete. During the COVID pandemic, we supported the community by providing more than 500,000 free meals which we achieved with the generous support of donors and the ongoing financial support of residents of the nearby TAO Residencial community. Hekab Be Biblioteca receives absolutely no financial support from the local, regional, or federal governments of Mexico to support its operations. We provide our programming for free, and none of our services generate any profit; all finances are raised through donations and grants. Our Mission: Hekab Be promotes literacy and learning opportunities among children and adults in Quintana Roo, Mexico, in order to meet their educational goals. Serving as a tool for educational, social, and economic progress, we provide individuals and families with resources for scholastic advancement, helping improve people’s language and literacy skills, while promoting cultural preservation and awakening the desire to understand other customs and ways of thinking.
