What Tourists in Guatemala Don’t See

On the outskirts of the vibrant town of Antigua, poor families struggle to survive

Historic Antigua is the former capital of Guatemala, and it is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Situated in the Central Highlands region, the town is surrounded by three volcanoes. It is known for its many renovated — and some beautifully deteriorating — colonial relics and civic and community structures, such as museums and libraries. Antigua is a quaint scenic town that attracts tourists from all over the world, welcoming them to enjoy […]

Overcoming the Limitations of Poverty

A former sponsored child is now a teacher at the Tecpan School in Guatemala

In the city of Tecpan, located some sixty miles west of Guatemala City, the majority of the roughly 50,000 inhabitants claims direct descent from the Mayas. Despite their rich cultural heritage, however, indigenous people often find themselves marginalized, left to endure the brunt of poverty and its associated effects, which are common in Guatemala. On a recent visit to Guatemala with Ron Carter, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Luis Bourdet, our Director of […]

The Importance of Home Visits

At Santa Isabel Ana Seton in Guatemala, our volunteer coordinators make it a priority to visit our sponsored children’s homes

In all of my visits to our affiliated projects around the world over the last few years, I have yet to meet a volunteer coordinator who does not visit the homes of our sponsored children. Our coordinators feel that home visits are important for many different reasons. Visiting the homes of children in our program helps to forge a strong partnership between parents and coordinators, because parents often feel more relaxed and comfortable at home, […]

Promise for Kids in a Desperate Landscape

A visit from our Volunteer Coordinator, Mr. Njuguna, offers a glimpse into life in the slums of Nairobi

It is quite rare that our international volunteer coordinators have the opportunity to visit the Children Incorporated headquarters in North Chesterfield, Virginia — but when they do, it is such a treat for the staff. An exceptional guest dropped by recently — our Volunteer Coordinator and the Manager of St. John’s Community Center in Nairobi, Kenya: Mr. Njuguna. The stories that he recounted about the community center, the people it serves, and the multi-faceted work […]

Returning to Guatemala

Four years after his first trip there, our President and CEO, Ron Carter, revisits the Juan Apostol School

Guatemala is a country that is known for its beautiful lakes, volcanoes, Mayan ruins, and brightly-painted buses; unfortunately, however, its residents struggle with widespread poverty, illiteracy, crime, and high rates of unemployment and underemployment. Even though the country boasts the largest economy in Central America, Guatemala faces many social problems, and it is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. The income distribution is highly unequal, with more than half of its population living […]

Staying Safe on the Field

The CARITAS-Novo Milênio Center’s soccer club keeps vulnerable children in Brazil away from danger

Many poor families living in the city of Lages in south Brazil have migrated there from the countryside in search of employment to better their lives. Due to limited job opportunities among the ever-growing population there, however, families instead find themselves continuing to live in poverty, and having to move into impoverished urban developments such as Novo Milênio, which lacks electricity, drinking water, and even sewage service. Within this slum community, public schools are ill-equipped […]