About Esperanza Juvenil
Esperanza Juvenil (Boys Hope Girls Hope Guatemala) helps academically motivated children and youth rise above disadvantaged backgrounds and become successful in college and beyond.
Our goal is to develop young people who are physically, emotionally and academically prepared for post-secondary education and a productive life, breaking the cycle of poverty.
Esperanza Juvenil utlizes the following elements to achieve our mission:
- Academic excellence
- Service and community engagement
- Family-like settings to cultivate youth empowerment
- Long-term and comprehensive programming
- Faith-based values
- Voluntary participant commitment
Esperanza Juvenil firmly believes that children have the power to overcome adversity, realize their potential, and help transform our world. Children create these successes when we remove obstacles, support and believe in them, and provide environments and opportunities that build on their strengths.
“I am very happy because I can prepare myself for a better future and continue my efforts to change the conditions of my family. What God and Esperanza Juvenil have given me, no one can take away.”
Juan Manuel, college student
Our Mission
To nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others.
Our Vision
Our vision is that our scholars reach their full potential and become healthy, productive life-long learners who:
Adapt to an ever-changing world | Thrive in the face of obstacles | Generate a positive ripple effect in their families, work places, and communities
Our Local Impact
Esperanza Juvenil History
1992
Esperanza Juvenil Founded
Esperanza Juvenil was established in Guatemala City in 1992.
2006
Opened 4th House
We opened our 4th house to help 12 new girls.
2008
Opened Elementary School
The Esperanza Juvenil Elementary School opened in January of 2008.
2010
Opened Middle School
The Esperanza Juvenil Middle School opened in January of 2010.
2013
First college Graduate
Rodolfo, first college graduate of Esperanza Juvenil.
2018
Our growth
In 2018 we supported 172 students in 8 residential homes and 6 young people were graduated from college.
2019
Second Site Inauguration
We inaugurate the second campus and open a high school in January 2019.
Our 10th College graduate.
2020
First Senior Prom
Our first senior class at Esperanza Juvenil School.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Esperanza Juvenil Board of Directors and staff leadership collaborate to ensure mission fidelity, financial stewardship and transparency. This team of professionals is committed to continuous learning, effective programming and improvement through impact evaluation and innovation.
Rosa María Gramajo, President
Corporación AICSA
Ernesto Ruiz,
Corporación AICSA
Peter Klose,
Cía. Holandesa de Comercio
Mauricio Nanne,
SISAP
Daniel Villatoro,
Banco Agromercantil
Ramiro Bolaños,
Improvement & Progress
Antonio Cristiani,
CorpoAgro del Pacífico,
Luis Pablo Cobar,
Integrum
María Luisa Perezalonso,
Corsesa
Maritza Ochoa,
MO Consultores
Enrique Lemus,
GSP, Corp
Kristin Ostby,
Boys Hope Girls Hope
The Need We Address
Prior to joining our program, our scholars’ circumstances include environmental barriers that make it difficult to concentrate on achieving their goals. The relationship between educational failure and poverty creates a vicious cycle that affects too many children in our communities and negatively impacts our entire society.
- Children born into poverty are six times more likely to drop out of school (Cities in Crisis, 2008).
- The longer a child lives in poverty, the lower their overall level of academic achievement (Guo and Harris, 2000).
- Children from families in the highest income quartile are 8 times as likely to earn a college degree that those from the lowest income quartile (Pell Institute and Penn Ahead, 2015).
- In 1980, college graduates earned 29% more than those without. By 2007, that gap grew to 66% (Baum & Ma, 2007).
- According to CEOs for Cities, every one percentage point increase in adult four-year college degree attainment adds an additional $763 to per capita income per year (One Student at a Time, 2013).
- Cohen and Piquero (2009) monetized the cost to society over the course of a “negative outcome” child’s lifetime as follows: High School Dropout = $390,000 - $580,000, Plus Heavy Drug User = $846,000 – $1.1 Million, Plus Career Criminal = $3.2 - $5.8 Million.
English 
Spanish