The kids building Latin America out of poverty just won .ORG of the Year — a first

TECHO, the youth-led nonprofit that mobilizes volunteers and families to build housing and community infrastructure in Latin America's informal settlements, beat 4,200 applicants from 145 countries to win the 2026 .ORG of the Year award — the first Latin American organization to take the top honor. The $50,000 prize rewards nearly three decades of work built on one belief, in CEO Juan José Ayerza's words: lasting change happens when communities come together.