On Monday the 7^th, we inaugurated and blessed the building with the help of Father Paul Sheridan, Founder of Boys Hope Girls Hope, and the Esperanza Juvenil Board of Directors, staff, scholars, and community.

In October of 2016, we purchased a building in Guatemala City with the goal that it would become our second campus. With the generous support of Corporacion AICSA, a Guatemalan architecture and construction firm, and long-time partner, we were able to renovate the space to create a beautiful campus for our secondary students.  The new campus will allow us to provide an ideal educational space for our middle school students, expand our programming to include the two years of high school, and provide more space and resources to our elementary school students at our nearby, original campus.

Esperanza Juvenil provides Guatemalan children in need with caring, family-like homes and a 21st century education. Our commitment to the youth we serve includes support through university and their transition to independent living. We currently serve 180 motivated children from impoverished backgrounds from over 34 urban and rural communities across Guatemala. All share a passion for life and a strong motivation to learn!

We provide these motivated children with the opportunity to pursue their education and reach their full potential. All of the youth we serve will be the first in their families to attend university – and in most cases the first to complete Elementary School. With only 3.6% of the Guatemalan population entering university, and 20% of those students reaching graduation, Esperanza Juvenil is paving the way for young Guatemalans to take a great leap forward.

The youth of Esperanza Juvenil come from families who cannot support their basic needs. Currently, 59% of our youth are girls, and 59% come from rural Guatemala.  Half of our youth speak Spanish as a second language; their first languages include the Mayan languages, Achí, Tzutujil, Quiche, and Kakchiquel.

Esperanza Juvenil currently has 26 university students and 8 college graduates who are working professionally and contributing to their families and communities.

This new campus is a tremendous step forward for Esperanza Juvenil and our ability to grow to serve more young people who will become the future leaders of Guatemala.  We are grateful to the many individuals, families and organizations who have made this possible, especially Corporacion AICSA, the Jacques M. Littlefield Foundation, the Cristiani Family, the Klose Family, SISAP, For the Love of Mateo, the Rotary Club of Palo Alto, Cemaco, Rita Cobar, INELSA, Grupo Solid, Ferreteria La Palma, Aceros Tonca, Metal Madera, Daniel Villatoro, Martinexsa.