From Ashes to Hope

Cesar’s Child Champions say he is always trying to help others.

As I walked down the street, a little boy saw me wearing my OneChild T-shirt, and he ran into his house and said, “She is coming, she is coming.” The boy came back out and gave me the best, authentic smile I have seen for a boy his age. His name is Cesar, he is 10 years old, and he attends a Hope Center in La Ceiba, on the north coast of Honduras.

Cesar is a sweet boy, according to his Child Champions who describe him as collaborative, responsible, and always willing to help others.

Cesar lives with his grandmother, who cannot stop smiling when she talks about him. She is his legal guardian as his father has not been present in his life and his mother spent some time in jail before moving to the United States. Cesar also has a younger brother, Benjamin, who is 6.

Cesar’s grandmother is his legal guardian.

In Honduras, kids like Cesar and Benjamin who are without parents and raised by another family member are common. In 2008, about 6% of children were orphans. That means that out of 3 million children, approximately 200,500 are orphans, either being raised by a relative or living at an orphanage. Some of the kids, like Cesar, at our Hope Centers in Honduras don’t have their parents in their life.

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America with more than half of the population living in poverty. Nearly a third of the population is age 14 and younger.

For kids living in poverty, Hope Centers provide huge relief. They are safe and secure places, and sometimes the only place where a child can get a hug. And in the event of an emergency, the child and his family also receive tangible support from their Child Champions and Hope Center. For instance, when Cesar’s house nearly burned down due to a faulty circuit, Child Champions stepped in to help.

After the fire, Cesar’s Hope Center provided his family with appliances, food, and a bed.

When the fire occurred, Cesar and his family weren’t home, but the neighbors called firefighters, who were able to keep the fire from burning the entire structure down.

When Hope Center staff were told of what happened, they visited Cesar’s family and provided them with kitchen appliances, food relief, and beds.

The community and Child Champions then pitched in to rebuild the house. While staff at Hope Centers know they cannot supply everything a family needs during an emergency, they know they can access the Children’s Crisis Fund to offer immediate assistance.

Each Hope Center in Honduras not only helps a kid living in poverty, but it also helps their families survive and thrive, and brings hope to hard places.

Help us respond quickly to provide relief after a disaster by giving to the Children’s Crisis Fund.

Cesar’s house after it was repaired from fire damage.