Guatemala Through a new scholarship program, external children will be integrated in our school system at Casa Santiago on Ometepe: 30 in primary and 30 in secondary. Our volunteer therapy professions will treat eight to ten severely handicapped children of the community of Moyogalpa. We have amplified our therapeutic team to provide physical therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy, as well as the care of a pediatric nurse. On Saturdays, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, a basic computer course will be offered. At Casa Asis on the mainland, children of the local community will benefit, as well. There is room for 40 children under six in kinder. These children will receive education, lunch, and medical services. In Rivas, the town closest to our administrative office, we will start a house for special attention, which gives us the opportunity to work with children and youths with different capacities. This group will receive medical attention, alimentation, therapy, and handicraft workshops. Currently, 26 children and youths are benefiting directly through the scholarship plan. For some this is a continuance from last year, and others have been integrated in the program recently. Among these are children who have been sent back to their families through the “Programa Amor” of the government office of the Ministry of Family. All of the children are being supported with an economic scholarship for their studies and there is follow-up with regard to their study centers and homes to verify if they are indeed taking advantage of the scholarship.
Within this program in 2009, three have graduated from secondary school and one from primary. There is contact as well with 29 youths that at one point in time benefited by the scholarship. We would like to offer training and workshops to the youths that are in the Hermanos Mayores program, and specifically the ones that receive scholarships, to prepare them for job interviews, help them with their resumes, and train them in the area of personal development. Currently, 13 hermanos mayores work for NPH Nicaragua. How true it is that faith can move mountains. Fr. Wasson once said, “Things are provided for us as we grow. And our home, like any family, is a living organization. And as soon as it stops growing, or stops living, it begins to die. Trust in God. He’s going to take care of us. So why not trust in Him?” We owe very special thanks to the efficient fundraising efforts of the NPH offices in Europe and Friends of the Orphans in the US and the generosity of so many faithful donors who truly believe in the mission of NPH. Through their generosity this year we have been able to move forward with many new and important projects, especially with the build-out in Casa Padre Wasson, Jinotepe. We are grateful to have been able to count on the continued support of American Nicaraguan Foundation throughout this year. We are also blessed by having a very dynamic national board, which does not doubt to take a step forward when needed. Special thanks to Bishop Hombach for taking the time to advise and guide us whenever we call on him. Our children not only receive food and security thanks to their Godparents but they also receive the love that they long for and that helps them through the rough times. Last but not least our children—we are happy to work with them and special thanks for keeping up with us.
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Please receive our warmest greetings from NPH Guatemala. We would like to thank you for the unconditional support that you have provided us in 2009. Obviously our situation was very difficult as a result of the current economic crisis. However, as a result of your help we were able to maintain our home as well as build new foundations for other projects that will help the future generations of our family. We know that we would never be able to help our children realize their dreams without the collaborations of many countries throughout North America and Europe. I would also like to thank our team of employees for all that they do, and for the love that they provide our children on a daily basis. It is your efforts that propel our children forward to a brighter future. We are currently planning many projects for the 2010 calendar year. I hope that we will enjoy great success in all of the visions and plans that we have to improve our efforts for the benefit of our family and especially for our pequeños who are the future of both our family and our country. You will be in our prayers and we ask God to bless all the work that you accomplish. Jan Leiritz National Director, NPH Guatemala
After spending most of the year under the guidance of Interim National Director Fernando Gres Lozano, NPH Guatemala has finally found our future National Director, Jan Leiritz. Jan, a German national, spent a year volunteering in NPH Guatemala’s maintenance department in 2003. After finishing his year of service, Jan was contracted by UKBS Germany to return to Guatemala and head our carpentry workshop until he was promoted to Director of the workshop programs in 2007. This year our number of workshops increased from four to five as we added a new Cosmetology workshop. In all, 28 students graduated from the workshop with an apprenticeship in Beauty Techniques. In January 2009 our home started a scholarship program in which we offered free schooling to children from the surrounding area. These children come from families with little economic resources, and would otherwise not be unable to attend school.
While studying at NPH Guatemala, each child receives the same hands-on attention, as well as interactive vocational training, that our internal students receive. Each external child is given the opportunity to eat both breakfast and lunch. A total of 70 external students finished the 2009 school year with us. Four of them received diplomas. We plan on increasing our number of external students by 30 in 2010. 2009 saw the creation of a new Psycho-pedagogical department here at NPH Guatemala. While all of the different facets of this new department (counseling, tutoring, special education, occupational therapy, art therapy, language therapy, family services and psychology) existed last year, this new system allows our therapists to pool their resources more effectively. The result is a multifaceted
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