Humanitarian Aid in Guatemala - Guatemala's Hogars
OUR WORK IN GUATEMALA
Hogars are small homes licensed to care for orphaned and abandoned children. Most are privately run and receive no government funding. Hogars have been catastrophically affected by the suspension of international adoption, fees from which were used to cover basic child care, staff salaries and operating expenses. As a result, more than half of these homes have closed. Those remaining open, compelled to care for many more children, face a similar fate without new sources of funding.
We fund two well-run hogars in Guatemala City: Hogar Luz De Fatima and Hogar Luz De Maria. Directors work around the clock seeking the resources and support required to keep their homes running. Often the only help they receive are occasional donations of food, clothing and volunteer time to help with the children.
Hogar Luz De Fatima - Attorney Barbara Colfino Vides, Director
Hogar Luz De Fatima, founded in 2002, houses 20 children ages 0-9 years. The assistant manager is certified in pedagogy (the art of teaching), and a child psychologist and pediatrician visit the home once a month or more as needed. The facility includes a playroom for toddlers to learn to walk. During their free time, the children enjoy swings, a slide and open space in which to run around and play. A small bus transports older children to and from school each day, and all of the children work with a teacher assigned to the home full time.
Hogar Luz De Maria - Dinora Palacios, Director
Hogar Luz De Maria, founded in 2004, houses 30 children ages 0-5 years. Most caretakers are experienced child care workers trained in CPR, First Aid and pedagogy. A full time teacher was recently hired. The facility, located just blocks from a university and police station, has an open courtyard and playground. Volunteers visit often to carry out activities with the children. The home is spacious, safe and full of loving infants and toddlers.
Funds are desperately needed to keep these hogars open to ensure consistent and exceptional care. For more information on our humanitarian aid work in Guatemala and how you can help transform lives, please contact us at 781.894.5330.
