2013 NPHI Annual Report

Since 1954, the Nuestros PequeĂąos Hermanos has been addressing the needs of children through a holistic approach that features a permanent home, quality education, healthcare and a spiritual foundation to prepare them for lives as productive members of their respective societies.

Fr. William Wasson, founder of NPH, developed five guiding principles that he instilled in his NPH family–love, security, responsibility, sharing and work. Sixty years later, a careful balance of these five principles has helped raise more than 18,000 children in nine countries.

LOVE

Healthcare: We provide our children with access to vital healthcare services to ensure each child receives the best physical and emotional care possible.

Spiritual Formation: Each child is educated in the Christian faith and principles as a foundation for their moral development.

FR. WASSON’S PRINCIPLES

SECURITY

RESPONSIBILITY

SHARING

NPH CORE PROGRAMS

Childcare: Like any parent, we prepare our children to grow into caring, respectful, responsible and productive adults.

Community Service: Each NPH home practices outreach through social service programs, healthcare and in-kind donations.

Education: We believe education is the key to a better life. That’s why NPH provides an extensive range of educational opportunities.

Environment: Our homes replicate a family environment, and we diligently strive to create a loving, family atmosphere.

WORK

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Reinhart Koehler at NPH Honduras.

Dear NPH Family, After thirty-two years with the NPH family I have collected many memorable moments. One I often recall is a conversation I had with Marlon Velasquez in 1987; he was sixteen years old then and is now the National Director of NPH Nicaragua. Marlon had been with NPH for a year when I asked him exasperated: “Why is it that you older kids behave more immaturely than the younger kids?” His answer was succinct, “Because at NPH we can live the childhood we never had.”

Often when I read or hear the news, I wish we could have an NPH home everywhere in the world, including the well-developed countries, to give children back their childhood. Too many times, children are exposed to neglect and abuse. Frequently, the social systems fail in helping these children because they don’t give them what they truly need: a loving family in which they can grow up developing a strong sense of belonging, feeling secure and with the opportunities to develop their potential. These are the pillars on which Fr. Wasson built our NPH family. How often do we hear of children who are shipped from one foster care family to the next and then back to their family of origin only to experience more violence, abuse and rejection? And once the youth turns eighteen, the public systems stop caring for them as if that age is a magic turn around stage that makes them self-sufficient from one day to the next.

Our NPH family also has entered a period of transition in leadership.

A special thank you to Fr. Phil Cleary for his strong leadership for the past years. Fr. Phil stepped down as the President of NPHI in July of 2013.

A new interim board was elected and two groups, the structure committee and the nomination committee were charged to develop a new structure and nominate new board members. The main goals of the new board and General Assembly proposal was to create a board with more independent board members and limit those who are involved with the day-to-day operations, and to create a forum through the General Assembly which would bring voice and vote of all entities, the homes and the fundraisers to one table. This will allow us to forge a future for NPH that includes the varied experiences of our global family.

As we look forward to continue to serve so many vulnerable children, to help them to grow into leaders of positive change in their respective societies, we thank you for your generous and moral support without which we could not have done anything. Please remember us in your prayers as we always remember all our supporters in prayer during mass.

Sincerely, Reinhart Koehler NPHI Interim President

Our experience is that children come with all kinds of traumatic experiences and their healing takes place over different time spans.

We receive youth that join our family at the age of fourteen without any schooling who definitely will not be prepared for a life of independence at age eighteen. And even the ones that enter the NPH family, as infants need support beyond the age of eighteen as they move on to higher education. Why is this so important at NPH? Because we want our children to develop their potential with the hope that they fulfill Fr. Wasson’s dream, putting their skills and abilities obtained with the help of NPH to use by caring for those in need.

The children under our care are well and thriving, as you will see in the reports from our homes. In general, we see a tendency with less infants and toddlers and less children living in our homes and an increase in serving children helping them through scholarships at our NPH schools or supporting them either through community service programs or to stay with their family of origin as long as they are in a loving family environment.

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executive director We are One with Our Children As we move from year to year, we are reminded that we are all connected and that we are all one with our children. There is no “I” in what we do at NPH, nor is there a “mine.” For NPH and all who are connected with NPH, there is only “us” and “our.” Upon joining NPH, whether it is a child or someone Children at NPH Peru. accepting responsibility for their care, we realize we no longer act alone. Everything we do, everyone we touch, is related and does not exist without the influence of the other.

Whether you are a donor, a caregiver, fundraising staff, or one of the children we care for, all are together, all are connected, all are one with each other. We all share the agony of the trials of each one of us, and we all live in the joy of where we are and what we are doing.

This has never been more apparent than our journey through 2013 as we overcame our difficulties to enter 2014 with a renewed spirit and in solidarity with each other.

Sharing Together Bringing re-emphasis of Father Wasson’s driving principles, we shared with our children and with each other in ways each of us was able. We started the year with 13% across-the-board reductions in food and clothing, salaries for those working for NPH, and numbers of caregivers. But recognizing that we – the children and the many supporters and workers of NPH – were all in this together, sacrifices were made. For some it was sharing money, for others time, our children shared their love, and our caregivers and administrators shared through their increased efforts under difficult limitations.

Working Together As our children settled into routines, where more work was needed to succeed in school with less teachers, to grow up in harmony with less caregivers, everyone – donors, workers, spiritual leaders all worked with increasing determination to achieve the dream we were all there to achieve.

Responsibility for Each Other Father Wasson taught us about responsibility and our children today continue to embrace their commitment to be responsible for each other. Our donors took responsibility for restoring cuts in food, finding resources to continue trade workshops, and bringing teachers back into classes that became overburdened.

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There were hard decisions driven by the amount of money that was available. We stopped programs we knew the children needed and our donors wanted, but without sufficient money, it was time to concentrate first on those most needy among us. When even that fell short, we adjusted together and did as Father Wasson always did – he made the very best of what he had and everyone worked harder to achieve our mission. And by the end of 2013, many of our most important programs had been restored, through the generosity of large and small donors who acted knowing we were all tightly connected and all responsible for each other’s outcomes.

Older youth caring for younger child-NPH Guatemala.

Unconditional Love As the foundation of all NPH organizations, Father Wasson’s emphasis that our love must be unconditional was strengthened under adversity. Conflicts were settled, a new organizational structure evolved to reflect that love, and all in recognition that as we love the children, so our children love us all back and we again continue with a connectedness driven by love.

NPH Haiti, Fr. Wasson Angels of Light.

Meeting Challenges Together Challenges will always exist for anything we do that is worthwhile, and we had plenty of those in 2013. Some continue into 2014, but we have clear insight into our rebellious response to these and our refusal to accept anything less than the best we can offer our children.

Leadership Our development toward country leadership by pequeños continued in varying degrees in every country. Haiti is leading the way by implementing local leadership coupled with mentoring. Leadership programs continue to be supported by our donors and the children continue to respond with enthusiasm to the opportunities to grow into leadership positions within the homes. Year-after-year, new leaders go through training in our leadership development program headquartered in Seattle, Washington, USA and on the ground in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

Miguel with Seattle Leadership participants.

Excellence Local management at each home set out goals for excellence even while adjusting to budgeting cuts. Later, as a new budgeting concept emerged for 2014, restoration of these cuts allowed workshop programs to be restarted, nutrition planning to improve, and educational standards continued to increase. We are learning together how to move toward excellence while doing with less.

Comprehensive Funding Budget-to-income funding has always been the basis of our financial planning. For 2014 we have come around to complement a $25 million income–based budget by identifying the $5 million in additional funding we need to achieve our first milestone in our development toward a combination of adequate care and growth in the number of children we care for, which we call our true cost of operating. Thus we have budgeted for true need, and our task for 2014 is now to look for funding for these needs.

we are so tightly connected with. We know from our 60 years how to provide what no other organization offers, and we are resolved to prove this for the next 60 years as well.

No more are we “I” and “me,” whether among ourselves or as a public face to those who oppose us. We reflect our children, we embrace our caregivers and our supporters, and know more than ever how closely we are related and how forever connected we will be. It is in this spirit, knowing how close we are each to the other that we move in the direction of realization of everyone’s dream of support for our children and for bringing every day more of those in need into our circle of the NPH Family.

Miguel Venegas Executive Director, NPH International

Looking Ahead We continue to be challenged by those in national and international government bodies whose concept of orphanages is inconsistent with Classroom at NPH Guatemala.

NPH, a model proven for 60 years.

In some countries, our response has been to change to a boarding–school concept while still offering the same high level of care to children we know are at high risk in their former circumstances.

We are now struggling with a new concept offered by UNICEF that decrees that institutional care for orphaned children is not internationally acceptable. This, after demonstration by NPH that care such as ours is greatly preferable to the possibilities offered by other approaches such as adoption and foster care. So our challenges continue and never cease, but knowing that our program is vastly superior supports our determination to care for the children

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family services

“A child is good because of someone,” Fr. William Wasson How do you begin to share your accomplishments working with thousands of children over a year?

How do you mark the milestones of a caregiver who feels more confident in their work or a young year of service youth who feels motivated by gratitude to serve, or the smile of a new youngster who was apprehensive of this “new life” with our beloved NPH family?

Donna Egge at NPH Honduras.

It is this transformation from shared family love that was Fr. Wasson’s deep belief and that which we continue to strive for each and every day in all of our NPH families.

Family Services International is tasked with the oversight of the formation and support of all of our children, youth and staff with the overriding umbrella of ensuring that our mission of Fr. Wasson is alive and active in each of our nine homes! Sixty years after Fr. Wasson began this extended family we can say with certainty that in 2013 we supported each home and each childcare staff in a multitude of ways.

While 2013 brought decreases in financial and human resources within the area of Family Services, even though the work and needs of our children, youth and staff continued to increase, our unwavering desire and commitment to the NPH Family to be available to the needs of our homes remained constant.

Sustainable Programs Our Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) trainings continued giving both new staff level one training and ongoing follow up with staff that had received the first training. We can proudly say that every home has received training in this program, making it our first uniform prevention program within the childcare area. We are currently looking for additional funding so that we can train new NPH instructors and thus increase our impact for better prevention and intervention in crisis.

Our Youth Development opportunities continue to increase. Locally we are evaluating all our homes, focusing on programs that help our youth to develop and reach their potential. We had our Fourth International Youth Development Conference in Honduras with over 45 participants from eight of our nine countries. This motivating experience inspires not only the youth to actively live the mission of Fr. Wasson, but the synergy and youth themselves inspire us to do our best work!

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The Seattle Institute graduated four students from its second year of the program and received six students to begin our third year of this incredible opportunity. Kara King expertly coordinates this program with an increasing amount of support from interns, mentors, host families and the Northwest NPH USA office in the Seattle area. The individual growth and personal development we see in our NPH participants gives us so much hope for our future.

We continue to be grateful for the donors and supporters whose strong belief in youth and leadership make this program possible.

Family Services Team with Hermano Mayor Leaders.

We were so INSPIRED by our first Hermano Mayor Leadership Development Workshop last year that we facilitated a second one in July in Nicaragua. It was a highlight for us as 25 pequeños and pequeñas who have graduated from our homes and are working in key positions gathered to talk about themes relevant to their work. Fr. Wasson was surely looking down with the biggest smile possible at the fruits of his labor.

2013 brought another partnership opportunity with the Deer Valley YMCA. One of our pequeños from Haiti, Billy Jean, worked as a counselor in the YMCA summer family program with an international group of camp counselors. Serving the families, living in another culture, sharing the NPH story became the stepping stone for Billy Jean to help raise funds for his NPH family by giving talks with NPH USA. Child Welfare Interview Project We continued with our Child Welfare Interviews with the help of two professional consultants, giving interviews to over 120 youth in all of our homes. As we continue to find ways to “measure” our impact and our work, these interviews provide us and the homes themselves information about the children’s sense of security, their fears and sense of belonging. Overall we find that over 84% of those children and youth interviewed feel a strong sense of security.

Spiritual Formation We had our second Spiritual Formation Workshop in El Salvador with 20 plus staff from seven of our countries. They shared their

Spiritual Formation Workshop Participants

ideas, curriculums and inspiration with each other and fostered an ever–growing desire to strengthen the faith development of our young people and our staff in our homes. Developing stronger retreat programs and Atrium programs (Montessori based preschool catechism) in all of our homes remains an ongoing and more present goal.

John DeBlasio with Hermano Mayors from NPH Honduras.

Dreaming into 2014 As we look forward to 2014, we are inspired to set both realistic goals and to dream big so that the incredible mission of Fr. Wasson will continue to live in the hearts of our children, staff, and volunteers.

me from the forefront of our work, he has each and every time picked up the pace and supported not only me but also the staff in our homes. Thank you Markus!

We especially thank Cheryl Sesnon, Nicole Ambrosio, Amy Holbrak, Dr. Michael Maccoby, John DeBlasio and Todd Brinkman for their gracious ongoing support of our Family Service programs.

We also wish to thank every NPH director and coordinator, every childcare worker, every year of service youth; every volunteer and every staff member for their dedication and love they bestow on our children. We wish to thank each fundraising entity as well as each of our donors and sponsors who make our work possible. It is YOU that help to transform our children’s’ lives. Just as Jesus’s love is sometimes hard to see and feel, so it is with the transformation and development that occurs within our children’s hearts from the love that you share. As we all continue tirelessly in our enduring care for our thousands of children, we thank each of you from the bottom or our hearts.

Donna Egge Director of Family Services, NPH International

As we say goodbye to Reinhart Koehler, our past director of Family Service, we know we can count on his ongoing support in our work as he continually inspires us to look for the good in each child and employee and his model of living Fr. Wasson’s principles will continue to guide us in the coming year!

We will strive to continue the sustainable programs and projects in the areas of staff formation (CPI), Youth and Leadership Formation and Development and evaluative measures of child security in our homes (Child Welfare Interviews). We have high hopes for additional resources to plan creatively for new initiatives to meet the ongoing and increasing needs in our homes.

This extensive and hard work could not be done without the thousands of hours of care that Markus Streit has put into programs this past year. As I have had other obligations that have often taken

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medical services

I would like to thank the healthcare staff from all the homes as well as our NPHI Regional Medical Directors, Darren Blue, RN., Marta Garate, RN., and Dr. Corinna Lawrenz, for their outstanding and tireless work in creating quality healthcare for all our children in our NPH homes. As some visitors have commented, “The care and love is great with high quality indicators in the health services provided; far beyond the general care in the country. The children are very fortunate.”

The World Health Organization defines health: “as a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absents of disease or infirmity.”

This means that the responsibility that NPH has is very large and broad. Because many of the children arrive on our doorstep with poor prenatal care and are suffering from malnutrition, our job is endless in creating a healthy environment for their full potential.

Some of our children are unable to reach this because of the permanent and long-lasting health damage that they encountered during their first years of life. We are then limited in what we can do, preventing exacerbations or complications of their current chronic status.

Dr. Pilar Silverman at NPH Haiti.

Prevention is the best medicine, thus our programs and projects are mostly prevention oriented and curative when necessary. The health programs at NPH are usually far ahead from almost all the government local health systems. We take in account cultural and background conditions and intervening from a comprehensive and integral perspective, otherwise we will fail to make positive and sustainable changes. NPHI Medical Services works hand in hand, based on the goals the local staff establish each year.

The report card for 2013 has been an extraordinary and successful year, thanks to the cooperation from local staff, senior consultants and volunteers working in the health arena, and the amazing trust and support fundraising offices put in the health departments in all the countries.

Program Accomplishments Public Health – NPH health staff at the local level is always reinforcing prevention measures such as hand washing, personal hygiene, fumigation, water testing, window screens, managing waste, and being on alert for any outbreak. In 2013, we had several cases of Dengue in various countries, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Mumps, varicella and salmonella. All cases were well managed.

Vaccines – After four years of an intensive immunization catchup campaign, in most of the countries and especially in Haiti, the immunized status of the NPH population is surpassing 80%. This has been thanks to the support of NPH USA, NPH Italy Francesca Rava Foundation and Vacunas Solidarias Organization. For 2014 we will be able to do immunization campaigns thanks to a new grant from Vacunas Solidarias.

Nutrition, Growth and Development – Every home strives to provide the adequate and necessary nutrients through the food to all the children, including food from animal sources, rich in iron to protect their physical and mental ability and to prevent anemia.

Most of the NPH homes have or are in process of developing a special program with additional nutritious food.

Mental Health – Every child has a basic mental health assessment upon entrance performed by the psychologist and depending on the outcome, they enter various support therapies.

HIV Program – We currently care for 57 children living with HIV. They have regular appointments with the national HIV program where they receive ARV drugs. We also provide the additional care needed such as emotional support, adherence to treatment and additional required tests to strengthen the quality care that national programs are not able to supply. When a child needs a second or third line of treatment, which is not possible to get from the local HIV program, NPH has a lifesaving outstanding resource and support from Aid for Aids, a non-forprofit organization based in New York.

Vaccination catch-up at NPH Haiti.

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Nutrition at NPH Honduras.

Dr. Corinna Lawrenz at NPH Guatemala.

556: Chronic conditions 57: HIV (children living in the homes) 255: New child medical exam 2,343: Well child visits 4,730: Vaccine doses 63: Hospitalized (mostly for surgeries or traumas) Medical Brigades and Senior Experts – In addition to our local staff and local specialists, the care of NPH children is complemented by several recurring brigades and senior experts available to give advice and recommendations. The dentist in NPH Mexico received the support of the University of North Carolina, as well as two ophthalmological teams who also brought glasses.

In Nicaragua, we counted with the support of a Minnesota team and Spanish group. In the Dominican Republic we had the Arizona University brigade, who worked in the surrounding poor communities where extreme poverty and lack of healthcare is rampant.

In Honduras and Guatemala, nurses received training to improve their work and Dr. Schreib, Ophthalmologist from Germany at NPH Mexico. continuing education on different subjects thanks to a senior professor licensed nurse from Spain.

Electronic Medical Records –The EMR project allows NPHI to receive reports and information in real time and will save time for local staff. We hope to fully complete the project in 2014.

56: Child surgeries 9,148: Physician consults 10,899: Nurse consults 5,110: Therapies (Physical, Occupational, Psychological) 4,058: Dental consults

Policy Development – It is important to have clear rules and regulations through policy development. This year we updated our policy regarding children with disabilities, health insurance for volunteers, and procedures when a child with chronic conditions leaves the home.

Quality medicines is another front were we need to work on for the safety of the patients. Fake drugs is a multimillion worldwide business, with great penetration in developing countries. We always look for secure and affordable drugs. Patient safety is a priority and we always count on the expertise from a pharmacist with experience in developing countries.

The key projects for 2014 will be: • Fully implement EMR in all countries • Medical workshop in April at NPH Nicaragua • Empowering health education • Strengthening the importance of adequate nutrition • Patient safety and biological waste disposal • Prevention in sport injuries • Planned trip for Senior consultants in Neurology/Mental health to El Salvador and Dominican Republic Thank you all for your trust and love for the NPH Children.

Pilar Silverman, MD Director of Medical Services, NPH International

Maria Jose Camacho from Spain–suture training in Guatemala.

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mexico Dear Friends, A few words come to mind when I reflect on the year 2013: progress, innovation, teamwork and gratitude. We are profoundly grateful for the blessings that we have received this year, for the support from our community and most importantly for the children that make every challenge worth the struggle. We have made great strides despite the budget cuts of 2012, and we will continue striving to provide the best for our children.

This year we strengthened efforts to find children from difficult to reach and extremely poor, indigenous communities throughout Mexico, as well as from war torn areas such as Ciudad Juárez. We continued providing high quality care for the kids in our home and implemented several innovative ideas that today are proving their worth. Among other projects, we increased our healthcare efficiency with the launch of a new medical database, improved the living conditions of our children in Matamoros with a new dormitory, and maximized the potential of our farm with a new irrigation system.

In the midst of progress, improvements and challenges along the way, the achievements of our newborn babies to university graduates serve as our home’s primary successes and source of inspiration. This past May we welcomed Gabriel* who was not quite two years old, and his baby sister Isabel* at only four days old! Over the past several months, Isabel’s big smile and Gabriel’s growing curiosity have transformed the hearts of so many that have had the opportunity to care for them.

Rafael Bermúdez with student at NPH Mexico.

And there is the story of Lupita, who arrived at our home when she was just 10 years old and despite health challenges, continued her education until graduating from nursing school this past spring. Throughout nursing school during her free weekends, she tended to the younger ones in the Casa San Salvador clinic to gain hands-on experience and improve her skills. Lupita’s dedication to her NPH family and drive to accomplish her goals despite many challenges have been an inspiration to us all.

Then of course there are the day-to-day, little moments of 2013: Carlos’ proud smile after his Karate performance, Noe’s renewed energy after recovering from surgery in the clinic, the middle school girls’ excitement before their quinceañera celebrations, the boys’ cheers after winning their qualifying soccer game in the state finals competition.

While reflecting on the great changes our home has made in the past years, I realize that these types of moments are indeed timeless. Fr. Wasson knew there would be hardship and financial limitations, but he was likely driven by these same moments with the kids, and by his unconditional love and passion to help them succeed. Nothing stood in the way of his fight for them, and nothing will stand in our way either.

We remain energized by our children and more driven than ever to achieve our mission. We look forward to continuing our work in 2014 and celebrating 60 years of family life at NPH! Sincerely, Rafael Bermúdez National Director, NPH Mexico

*Names have been changed for privacy purposes.

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years

Gabriel* and sister Isabel* at NPH Mexico.

Home Life Our policy is that if a child knocks at our door we accept him or her regardless of the cost. Working against a minimal budget, we are happy to announce that this past year we have accepted 101 new children to our home. We also welcomed more babies under the pre-school age than in previous years and they have become the joy of our home, a total of nine children under the age of four. We continue to brainstorm and apply creative ways of managing our budget to ensure that we can continue accepting new children.

We also welcomed multiple children from areas of great need and violence due to the current drug trafficking situation in Mexico.

Our Ciudad Juárez program established in 2011 continues to be successful in rescuing children from the drug war violence that permeates the area. To date we have accepted 28 children from Ciudad Juárez, nine of which arrived this year, and we look forward to welcoming approximately 15 more in 2014.

Education The majority of our children attend school from kindergarten to middle school in Casa San Salvador (in the town of Miacatlán) and upon graduation move to Casa Buen Señor (in the city of Cuernavaca) to attend vocational high school. Our group of 40 kids who live and attend school at Ciudad de los Niños, located in Matamoros, move into our Cuernavaca home as well when they are ready to attend high school. Upon high school graduation, our young adults complete two years of service where they take on a position to help the home, such as working in the office or as a caregiver.

The majority of our 85 college students attend universities in Monterrey, Mexico, and are working toward obtaining their

degrees. For our children that require a path other than the traditional academic route, our alternative option, Casa Villa in Cuernavaca, assists them in finding work and improving life skills.

We are incredibly proud of our 19 university students who graduated this year with degrees spanning the fields of nursing, graphic design, accounting, engineering, and more. Their lives tell stories of true success despite rocky beginnings, and we look forward to turning the page with them and learning what their futures hold.

Construction In our Ciudad de los Niños home in Matamoros, the construction of a new boys dormitory has made a great impact. Prior to this year the older and younger kids all lived together in the same room, but the dormitory provides the space to separate the children by age group. Our team is now able to better differentiate care and provide more direct attention to the youngest kids and space for them to play, while providing the older adolescents with more privacy.

We also built ‘green stations’ throughout the fields as a strategic effort to improve our farm’s irrigation system and preserve the home’s natural resources. These small ponds, which are located throughout the field, contain fish and are surrounded by vegetation, capture the water that would otherwise run off of the water route and miss the field. These green stations also serve as water reserves and would help protect the field and home in the case of a fire.

NPH Mexico 2013 11

Religion This year our new Catechism Coordinator and the rest of our team held weekly meetings and special weekend retreats for our middle school and high school Catholic youth group programs, Edge and Life Teen. At the beginning of August a group of Retreat in Puebla, Mexico. our high school students traveled to Puebla to attend an annual spiritual retreat and spent a full weekend of worship together along with 25,000 other youth from all throughout Mexico. The end of August was a special time in Casa San Salvador, as all of our kids welcomed Cuernavaca’s new Bishop to our home and spent time with him throughout the day. These successes are the product of our team’s efforts to foster fellowship among our children and learning opportunities from Catholic leaders.

Community Connections Our team has strategized new, innovative ways for our donor community to connect with and invest in the children. This past year we expanded our multi-year investment plan to multiple donor partners, who now have the unique opportunity to follow one specific generation of children and provide funding for their education, housing and other basic needs over a number of years.

We also offered Social Responsibility Day to local companies in Mexico. They visited our Casa San Salvador home in Miacatlán and accomplished various constructive activities such as building, painting, planting, making bread and of course, playing with the kids.

Future Plans In 2014, our focus is on improving the wellbeing of our children through creating learning opportunities and enhancing the safety and sustainability of our home. Now that we have reached 60 years, our goal for 2014 is to strategize ways to secure funds to provide high quality education and the opportunity for our kids to attend university for another 60 years.

To ensure that our home is secure, one goal is to heighten the wall around Casa San Salvador as well as installing more lighting throughout the campus. We will continue to offer training to employees that center on security procedures.

Early Stimulation therapy will be a brand new program starting in 2014 to serve our little ones less than six years old with their motor skills, intellectual and emotional development.

We believe that understanding nature, interacting with animals and becoming environmentally conscious is also part of a child’s development. Taking action on this principle we have plans to 12 NPH Mexico 2013

improve our newly built Botanical Garden as a safe, aesthetically pleasing space for the kids to learn the value of recycling and the process of how a simple seed becomes a full-grown plant.

We also plan on welcoming a group of horses to the farm so that our kids, especially those with special needs, have the opportunity to ride horses as a form of therapy and develop a positive perspective toward nature and animals.

Growing a garden.

Also in Casa San Salvador, we are aiming to improve the selfsustainability of our home while lowering long-term costs. One of the main ways we plan to achieve this is by planting a variety of new vegetables and maintaining a constant, monthly production to regularly feed the children.

In 2014 we hope to complete a solar panel installation plan to warm the water used within the buildings throughout Casa Buen Señor. The current energy method used in the home is gas, but in one year we hope that the warm water our kids use will be heated by solar energy.

Play time is our favorite part of the day.

Thank You This year was a time of leadership change within our home as well. We would like to thank Professor Luis López, who was once a pequeño in our Mexico home and then returned to give back his time, dedication and career to NPH. We would also like to thank Fernando Gres for his invaluable contribution to NPH. He was a pequeño in our Mexico home, returned to dedicate his career to NPH Mexico and NPH International, and retired this past year. We send our gratitude to Sister Yvonne as well, who was the Catechism Coordinator for many years. Sister Yvonne worked alongside Father Wasson since the beginning of NPH. On behalf of the children and our team at NPH Mexico, we extend the deepest appreciation to our donors, godparents and other supporters. Without your continuous generosity, prayers and support our kids would not be where they are at today.

Our teamwork has given them a place to live, grow and create opportunity for their futures. We are truly grateful that you are part of our family.

honduras

Dear Friends, In reflecting on 2013, I must begin with gratitude to all of you who have been an unwavering support to us, and have made possible the countless gifts we have been blessed with. We thank you for your support, your trust, and for holding up this organization so that we can all enjoy our successes, as well as the challenges, as a loving family.

This year we have watched our children continue to grow into marvelous people. We have watched them celebrate their victories and struggle to overcome obstacles. We have listened as they have whispered their fears, and we have listened as they have shared their plans and dreams. We have held them to show them that they are safe from harm and to show them that they are loved.

In this beautiful yet paradoxical place where sadness and happiness go hand in hand, where victories are found deep within tragedies and where common loss creates the strongest ties, we work hard so that the hungry can be fed, so that the lost can find solace, family and formation and so that the abused can learn to trust again.

Home Life This past year, we have focused on increasing our capacity to raise local income as well collaborating with our international fundraising partners. We are proud of our efforts as they have resulted in our ability to address the budget deficit we faced. In response to financial constraints, the effort to find increased funding was a priority, and this year, with the help of NPH USA, the Flatley foundation and our longtime friend and supporter Ken Hume, we have been able to use new financial support to improve the quality of the daily meals for the children. We can now better ensure that our children are getting the nourishment they need to go about their daily routine while growing and developing in the healthiest way possible.

We work so that children can become children again, and we thank you for giving us this opportunity.

Times really are tough these days as we face growing violence and insecurity and an economy with desperately limited opportunities for young people. But these challenges remind us to focus ever more on each individual child, exploring their talents and their passions and seeing how we can help them fulfill their potential as best we can. And in these times, when healthcare is a luxury for more of the Honduran poor, we are taught to double our efforts to reach out a healing hand to those in our community who are sick or in pain by receiving ever more patients in our clinic and in our surgery center.

In every moment, we remember that all we need and all that we have, we have through the grace of God and the generosity of friends like you.

All of us here at NPH Honduras – our children, youth, patients, staff and volunteers – all of us thank you for all you do for us, for your support, generosity, friendship and love.

God bless, and thank you, Stefan Feuerstein National Director, NPH Honduras

years NPH Honduras 2013 13

New family that arrived in 2013.

This year, we also welcomed five new volunteer therapists to our family. The therapists provide physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to our children, ensuring that our children get the attention they need. Since our children come from situations of abandonment, it is important that each child is given the opportunity at NPH for one-on-one care and therapy to reach their full potential.

Above all, the greatest successes this year have been watching the development of each child. In 2013, we watched Johana play in the Honduras’ national soccer team and saw Chavela walk for her first time in years after surgery at our on-site surgery center. We witnessed an external student graduate 9th grade who otherwise wouldn’t have had the resources to attend school.

We welcomed a three-month-old and watched proudly as each child cared for their new sister. These individual successes are what drives the daily Chicken farm. work that we do at NPH Honduras.

Religion This year, NPH Honduras proudly celebrated the marriage of religion coordinator, Paul Campion with his new wife and former NPH caregiver. The wedding, which many of our children attended, showed a wonderful example of a faithful and loving family but also called for the religion department to say farewell to the coordinator who has been with the religion department for many years. We have since welcomed Federico Osorco, a longtime employee of the religion department, as the new coordinator.

We celebrated 28 baptisms and 34 confirmations. NPH Honduras participated in four religious retreats in 2013, which brought together 80 of our children along with other children of the diocese.

We continued to strengthen our children’s faith through our religious education program, Atrium, which is rooted in the Bible, NPH2009 Honduras 114NPHI Annual2013 Report

the liturgy of the church, and Montessori based learning. In this program, children gather in a room especially prepared for them that contains simple yet beautiful materials to help them absorb the most essential proclamations of the Christian faith. The religion department of NPH Guatemala, NPH El Salvador, NPH Nicaragua and two other Honduran Montessori schools also traveled to NPH Honduras for two weeks of educational workshops, which allowed the religious programs to collaborate and better prepare themselves to teach spiritual development through the Montessori style.

Education We were very proud to see two more of our pequeños graduate with university degrees this year. Rafa Arce, who graduated with a degree in psychology, will continue working for the NPH Family as the House Director of one of our newest homes, NPH Peru. We are proud to see the NPH family grow and support each other, as our graduates from NPH Honduras go on to serve as an example for the next generation of pequeños.

We have worked hard to provide support and vocational training to our students in high school and university in order to ensure their best chance for employment and independence. We implemented a new project that matches students with learning disabilities with a well-established business in the capital city. The students complete a vocational internship with the company, and at the end of their allotted time, the hope is they will be hired for further work or have the work experience to go on and find employment. Three of our university students also attended a workshop composed of Honduran scientists, technicians and entrepreneurs whose aim is to promote research, development and future professionals in the country.

At our on-site vocational school, we were blessed to see 81 of our students pass their CADERH exams. By successfully passing their CADERH exam, students earn a state-recognized trade certification which is an enormous advantage in the Honduran labor market. A trade certification will be a key to success especially for some of our students who struggle academically.

Our Montessori Program also continues to grow and develop. Under the guidance of the Program Director, Momo Koehler, and with the helpful support of friends from the Near North Montessori school in Chicago, we continue to improve upon the ways in which we lay solid educational foundations for our youngest children. This year, we watched as 12 of our students passed from our Montessori program to 1st grade.

Carpentry workshop.

Montessori student.

Construction and Projects In 2013, we were able to continue the constant process of repairing and improving the home structures for our children. We began the full scale and necessary remodeling of both our girls’ home and the main kitchen, both of which are in desperate need of roof and structural repairs after twenty years of use. The goal is to build quality structures that will require fewer future repairs and lower maintenance costs.

In response to the desperate need in the country to care for special needs children, we have completed the construction of a new home for special needs boys. Thanks to the support of our donors and NPH Germany, we have built, furnished, and received operating costs for the first two years of the new home. As one of the largest organizations in Honduras that works and cares for special needs children, we are proud to be able to provide quality care for these vulnerable children who are too often the first to be cast aside and forgotten by their families.

Sr. Kolbe and child during baptisms.

In our effort to be more efficient with our resources, we have implemented a new water project. The project allows us to capture rainwater by using gravity to fill our tanks instead of the electrical pumps that we have used for the last twenty years. Due to a much appreciated investment from a longtime friend and donor, this project will help save $10-15,000 every year in electrical costs.

We also launched a new program to increase the self-sufficiency

and sustainability of NPH Honduras through cattle farming. By raising cattle, we can offer a cost-effective source of protein to our children. In time, we hope to provide enough cash via the sale of the cattle to cover all of our farm employee wages. In 2013, the project started with 40 cows and has grown to support 110 cows.

Hermanos Mayores Our Hermanos Mayores (Spanish for Older Brothers and Sisters) program continues to help support our young adults after they have left NPH. The program reinforces our philosophy that NPH is truly a family and like any family we continue to be there for our young adults even after they are no longer living at NPH. We assist an average of 300 adults annually by offering financial support in cases where medical assistance is needed or when one has lost a job. The department also helps with drafting resumes, practicing for job interviews, or searching for an apartment. Some Hermanos Mayores who wish to continue with additional education or specialty training qualify for educational grants of $50-150. Denis Morales, an Hermano Mayor himself, is in charge of the program.

This year he brought pequeĂąo volunteers together to help construct a home for a Hermana Mayor in need.

Community Service and Outreach Programs Like good neighbors, we have continued to collaborate and support the surrounding communities by providing educational scholarships, health care and child support to better serve those most in need. In 2013, further financial support allowed our external scholarship program to grow, offering an opportunity and a future to children that live in remote areas of Honduras with little access to education. The program grew from 20 children in 2012 to 35 children in 2013, and the program saw six of its children graduate from 9th grade this year, many of which were the first in their community to do so.

For twenty years, our external clinic has offered patients low cost, reliable health care to those in the surrounding area. In addition to daily consults, our clinic hosts community outreach days on subjects such as hypertension and diabetes, two diseases which affect the greater majority of our patients.

In addition to an external clinic, our Holy Family Surgery Center offers quality surgeries to Hondurans who otherwise would not have access to treatment. Each volunteer brigade brings doctors with varying specialties, including orthopedics, general surgery, urology, gynecology and ENT. With five volunteer brigades this year, a total of 372 surgeries were completed. In 2013, the Surgery Center took the first big steps towards more sustainable long-term functionality. Working with local staff, a volunteer orthopedic surgeon performs 30-40 consults weekly and provides six to eight surgeries weekly.

NPH Honduras 2013 15

Comedor Infantil located in Talanga.

The NPH sponsored Comedor Infantil, a soup kitchen in the nearby city of Talanga, provides a daily lunch to 30 children who would not otherwise receive a balanced meal. The families of these children receive health benefits by gaining free healthcare from the NPH external clinic. In addition, our nutritional program for newborn babies ages 6-36 months continues supplying milk supplements and regular checkups to 60 infants in the impoverished area.

This year the program has expanded its services, offering tutoring to the children at the soup kitchen. NPH is also proud to offer a scholarship to a child who has recently graduated 6th grade and grown too old to attend the soup kitchen. He now attends school at NPH’s on-site vocational school, serving as an example to the next generation of children in the community. Along with the nutritional and tutoring program, we have extended our women’s empowerment program to include the Soup Kitchen, with 15 girls from the local community attending weekly workshops.

In Tegucigalpa, “Pasos Pequeñitos” continues to offer low-cost daycare to single mothers. The daycare center allows mothers to achieve educational, personal and professional goals by ensuring that their children are cared for in a loving, safe environment. The mothers contribute to the program as well, attending bi-monthly meetings and offering assistance to the daycare staff. In return, they receive support from their peers.

Thank You All of the work we strive to do with our children, our youth and the community is a group effort that can only be achieved by working together. We would like to thank the entire extended family of fundraisers and supporters, sponsors and friends, for the hard work and dedication, prayers and council. We are encouraged and grateful for the immense collaboration with NPH USA and to the many supporters who helped us respond to the financial constraints we were up against this year. As always we are grateful for the 16 NPH Honduras 2013

NPH International service teams, Family Services, Financial Services and Medical Services which have helped guide the direction of our constant efforts to better the work we do and the care we are able to provide.

To the Daly and Romano Families, who’s faith, vision and dedication continue to inspire us as the work to better serve those most in need at the our Holy Family Surgery Center.

To Father Ken Hume, our Special needs home. dear “Father Tortilla”, we were honored to celebrate the fifty year anniversary of your ordination and your blessed eighty years of life with you here on the Ranch. We thank you for your dedication to the well-being of the children, your support and Fr. Ken Hume with a pequeño. friendship. Caro Fessman, an ex-volunteer who took it upon herself to help raise funds for more fruit this year for our kids.

Your commitment, dedication and love for the kids and what they need is an inspiration and greatly appreciated. We must also thank Vic Roers, the Our Lady of Peace community and friends for helping us celebrate the Christmas season and spirit with stockings for all of our kids which was an impressive feat and an incredible gift. To the Flatley family, your response to the financial constraints of all of our homes allowed us to ensure that nutrition, education, and the little things like clothes at Christmas were made possible. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you!

haiti Dear Friends, The year 2013 was a year full of new beginnings, but also with the continuous trials and tribulations that Haiti constantly faces. We are still working hard to bring all of our post earthquake programs into financial and structural equilibrium, and we are so grateful for the overwhelming support we receive from around the world. We still have a long way to go, but with your support, our goals are achievable. These post-earthquake programs include the expansion of the neonatology, maternity, and cholera programs at St. Damien Pediatric Hospital. We also continue to build on the Father Wasson’s Angels of Light (FWAL) home for vulnerable children as well as the Don Bosco expansion, which includes residential housing for our students. The Don Bosco program currently supports 202 high school and university students.

During the year we were faced with two major challenges. The financial crisis in the developed world still continues to affect us as we strive to meet the increased need with fewer resources. We have been working hard to restructure our programs, centralize purchasing, use digital technology to increase efficiency, to move significantly toward solar energy, and to improve training and budget accountability. We are restructuring to improve management and efficiency and will soon have two national directors in Haiti.

One will focus on our healthcare programs while the other will focus on our child development, homes and programs. These efforts have enabled us to stay afloat, and we are hopeful we can make it through 2014 in the same way.

The second major challenge is the mounting social and political instability in Haiti, with calls for the removal of the President, and resulting in frequent and chaotic demonstrations in the street. One of these huge mobs, not permitted to get any closer to the American Embassy than our hospital gate, erupted into chaos, and the tear gas used against them came into our hospital.

NPH and have to live in such a rough world. We hope and pray their generation can manage to change things for the better.

Even though St. Damien Hospital has cut back its services, we are thankful that our quality of care is Fr. Rick Frechette with St. Anne toddler. always improving thanks to so many international partners that come to teach, train, and work by our sides.

This past October, we had the joy of inaugurating Kay Gabriel, our new adult and child physical therapy center, adjacent to Kay Germaine. Equally joyful, we began construction of the permanent homes for the children of our FWAL homes. The children will make a great transition from living in modified containers to enjoying a real home.

More good news: cholera cases countrywide are decreasing! But we can’t afford to take a back seat in the fight against cholera, since there are fewer and fewer cholera centers, and serious spikes of cholera occur with every rain.

We pray that 2014 might bring, for you and for us, blessings, peace and success, on all of our work done in God’s name. We also pray for strength, patience and wisdom in the face of our many challenges.

God bless you!

Fr. Rick Frechette, CP National Director, NPFS Haiti

Crime always rises during these turbulent times, and we were its victims when armed thieves beat and robbed Gena Heraty, a long-term employee from Ireland, and killed Major Cesar, a loyal 25-year employee and night watchmen at our St. Helene home in Kenscoff. Major gave his life to help Gena, and in civil society and by all religious codes, there is no higher honor than what Major did, giving his life to help someone in danger. We hold Major in our hearts with honor and as a hero.

While we are working hard to assure justice in this tragic assault, we are also determined not to let it sour us, discourage us, divert the work of our hands or dampen the love in our hearts for the children who need us. We are working harder at educating and forming our young adults, preparing them for life once they leave

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NPH Haiti 2013 17

Youth at St. Helene.

St. Helene Dear friends and donors, The administration of our St. Helene home congratulates you and thanks you very much for your big hearts and constant support.

Thank you for all the efforts to help the most disadvantaged children in Haiti. This year, thanks to your valuable donations, we Sr. Bonite at St. Helene, Kenscoff. were able to have a wonderful year! We educated our children, fed them three times a day and maintained their day-to-day activities.

During the summer and other vacations, we had a summer camp full of crafts and fun for our children and several outings, even to the beach! We are truly grateful for you because your financial support has helped us to educate our children and has also provided them with a stable home. When you help us educate even just one of our children, you participate in the rebuilding of our country. We continue to pray for you that the Lord will protect you and bless your family.

Sr. Bonite Noelfils Director, St. Helene Home Life St. Helene, accomplished many things relating to the daily lives of our children, their education, home life and also in their athletic abilities. This year we were happy we were able to repaint the interior and exterior walls of fourteen of our homes for our children.

We will continue with this project until all of the homes have been repainted. Also, in March, new filters were installed in St. Helene’s recently installed water purification system. This gift included a new tank to store the water before filtration. Additionally, the necessary system plug was installed to allow staff to fill buckets and gallons as well as water fountains in the schoolyard. We are very happy to be able to provide clean, drinkable water for our children.

Our children showcased amazing athletic abilities this year.

Five young adults from Kay Christine went to a horseback riding competition in Florida and all were successful in their competitions and came home with prizes. St. Helene hosted soccer coaches from the Centro Sportivo, Milano. Our children trained hard every day and 18 NPH Haiti 2013

were actually the champions of the CSI competition, held annually at Fr. Wasson Angels of Light. The grand finale was a sporting day at the National Football Stadium, where our children did our coaches proud.

In the 2012-2013 academic year; we are proud to announce that thirty of our children have graduated and passed their exams to continue on to high school! They have recently moved to our Don Bosco program in Tabbare and although we miss them in Kenscoff, we are excited for them to start this chapter in their lives. We have high hopes for our children for the Higher Education graduates. next year and we want to see 100% success rate with their national exams as well as graduation to high school.

In 2014 we plan on beginning confirmation classes so our children St. Helene school. can receive this important sacrament of their spiritual formation. Also we are working diligently on improving and enhancing our security on the grounds for the safety of our children, staff and volunteers. We also want to repair the outer wall of the entire property and also the multi-purpose center.

Lastly, we recently created the foundation to build a new kitchen and we hope that we will finish this project in 2014 as well as equip the kitchen with new machines and equipment. We have big goals and high hopes for 2014, but with the continued support of our sponsors, donors, family and friends around the world, we can make it happen!

Special Needs Programs Dear friends and family, Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” As I try to sum up 2013 I think it’s fair to say that there were times when my Gena Heraty with a Kay Christine child. balance, when our balance, was fairly wobbled! It was a year of much sadness—two former youths that we knew and loved passed away, as did two kids from Kay Christine. Also Major, the night watchman, was brutally taken from us. When you write it down it seems so incredible that all this happened this year. Our kids and young adults in Kay Christine have seen and felt so much pain and sadness this year. All of us have been battered. It has been a tough year, no doubt about it, and I remember so clearly the weeks after Olivier died, our home was like an injured bird, frail and fragile and one wondered when we would sing and fly again.

Kay Germaine and all of our special needs programs flourished this year in many ways. The school program at Kay Germaine received a grant that allowed six teachers to travel to the U.S., to Watson Institute, for training in special education to improve their skills in teaching our students with mental and physical disabilities.

Additionally, the team is working on the development of including life skills into the curriculum. For instance, the students have been working on simple time and money St. Germaine Special Needs School. concepts, hygiene, as well as some household chores. We accepted 23 new students into the Kay Germaine program from a long waiting list of potential students who had been attending the program for physical therapy only. These children started the new school year 2013-2014 with us as fully enrolled students.

Time passed and we welcomed two new children into our home at Kay Christine and our hearts. They came with their own fragile stories but one thing was obvious very fast – they were determined to bring smiles to our faces and they were determined to get us through our grief. They came like angels to the rescue and they wrapped up in their love. “I will turn their mourning into joy and comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13

We celebrated the inauguration of Kay Gabriel in October. The building is an extension of the Kay Germaine School and serves the young adults who graduate from the Kay Germaine program and also provides therapy for adults with disabilities.

2013 also had many other great moments and for sure the opening of Kay Gabriel was full of those moments. It was a day when we celebrated the fruits of the seeds sown after the earthquake. Kay Gabriel is a testament of how we do things, how we turn tragedy into something beautiful and life giving. All of you reading this are a part of the beauty, because together we make miracles.

In our therapy programs, we hope to continue training our physical, occupational and speech therapists in current methodologies to better Kay Gabriel serve all of our adult and pediatric patients. We also want to continue with our parent/caregivers education program so parents feel more comfortable and educated in their children’s therapies. We plan on continuing to develop advocacy initiatives for individuals with disabilities in partnership with UNICEF, Handicapped International and Healing Hands for Haiti.

On a personal level, I feel I have lived a lot this year! My bicycle has wobbled and wobbled through dark days but lucky for me my bicycle’s light is powered by each movement I make. So as I wobble forward and I can always see the way! All along the way people join with me to light up the path I am traveling on. I am never alone and I am always surrounded by love and light. This makes life so much nicer.

All of us in Kay Christine, Kay Eliane and Kay Germaine thank you for all your support during this last year. We rely on this same support for the coming year. We thank God for all the blessings of 2013 and we look forward to many more miracles in 2014.

Inauguration of Kay Gabriel.

Gena Heraty Director of Special Needs Programs Horse back riding program.

NPH Haiti 2013 19

St. Louis girls.

Father Wasson’s Angels of Light Program (FWAL) St. Anne and St. Louis homes

Kenson Kaas with St. Anne child.

Dear Supporters, After the terrible earthquake of January 2010, we were able to reach out to vulnerable and displaced children thanks to the help of many loving and and caring people. We had a solid team of young leaders who have been mentored and believe in caring for the children. Without them this mission would have not been possible.

Over time, we have developed FWAL into a program that focuses on protecting vulnerable and at-risk children who live in extreme poverty. We strive to provide protective care to young children, aid for their families and family reunification where and when possible. If family reunification is an option, we can provide support through scholarships or other assistance. FWAL also provides free primary and secondary education, medical care and meals to all children living within the program and children from the community attending our onsite school.

Flag day at FWAL school.

Since the beginning of the program, we have greatly improved. At present, we now have a home called St. Anne with 38 kids, from 0 to 6 years old, and another home named St. Louis, with 100 children, from 7 to 14 years old, and a school of 800 students.

Our school is becoming broader in order to serve more children and also is improving in terms of the quality. We had 72 of our children who went to the national exams for the 6th grade and all but one passed. But what about the hardships of those children who do not show up to come to a school that is free? We are waiting for them and will welcome them with open arms so we can provide a valuable education to the most vulnerable in the country.

20 NPH Haiti 2013

When we started FWAL, the children lived in tents and then we moved into shipping containers. We spent a longer time living in containers than we did in the tents, but it was an enjoyable experience.

Currently we have four homes under construction at our St. Louis site and we are looking forward to moving in, hopefully in early 2014.

We are still doing our best to improve the program so that we can serve these children better but we had to make some difficult changes. For instance, 60 children returned to their families, but we still support them with their education. Our social workers had to make sure that these children would be well received by their families and they all were. We were sad to see them leave but we are happy they are reunited with their loved ones and back home.

Despite the challenges, we plan to improve the program and hope that 2014 will be a better year. We are planning on building a kitchen, clinic, offices, and more houses in addition to the permanent houses that are currently under construction.

We started from the bottom and now we are here.

This shows how much one can accomplish with the little that one has. On behalf of our children and staff, we want say thank you to everyone who helped this program in one way or another. I also want to say that I am very proud of everything that we have accomplished and hope to accomplish more.

Kenson Kaas Director of FWAL

St. Louis home.

FWAL Kindergarten.

In January, the FWAL Kindergarten School was inaugurated providing education for 200 of our youngest students. We also began the construction on our permanent St. Louis housing. We are now on the third part of construction, working on the roofs of the buildings. Next scheduled is the construction of the kitchen and the clinic. We are still in the fundraising stage for an office building as well as a chapel. We hope to be done with the first children’s homes in February 2014 and continue with the other buildings throughout the year. We are also moving towards using solar power which is slated to be installed first in the St. Anne baby house.

We are overjoyed to announce that this spring we celebrated the first graduating kindergarten class of 60 students! Next year we would love to add higher-grade levels as well as more workshop type classes, including a computer lab, sewing class and a variety

of sports education classes. We are also hoping to provide health physicals to all of our students. We want our children to succeed with a well-rounded education and great health.

In 2013, FWAL took the first steps in the reintegration of 64 of our children with family members to prepare these youth for independent living within the community. The children began with leaving our home every Friday afternoon to return on the following Sunday afternoon. After several months of this routine, the children went home for summer vacation and 60 of those children now live with their families full-time. We remain in close contact with the children and families but it is very important to us to reunite loved ones. We plan on continuing with this routine next year and also accepting new children in need.

Don Bosco Higher Education Program This year six of our students graduated from university! Students who attended universities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic now have their degrees and can enter the professional world. We had a special mass for the university and also high school graduates from the 2012-2013 academic year.

We are currently supporting 85 students in university and seeking financial support to maintain this expense for the upcoming year. We want our older students to thrive in university and serve as excellent role models for our younger children in our programs.

Darline, university nursing graduate.

Last December a group of our older youths participated in a Christmas song contest and won! They recorded the song and it was played on the radio throughout Haiti.

Thank You Our work here in Haiti continues despite financial setbacks and it is only because of the love and dedication of our supporters worldwide. We want to thank each and every single person who has made a donation, visited our programs, told our story and who simply help us with our mission.

We especially want to thank Cilla per Haiti and Fondazone Lord Michelham of Hellingly for their support for Kay Gabriel, Digicel for their on-going support for all of our programs, Misean Cara, UNICEF, Akron’s Children Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Mending Kids International and Comme-il-faut. We also want to deeply thank our international sponsors, fundraising offices and all of our long-term friends and supporters around the world. Without your dedication to our children and programs we could not succeed as we have. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you. .

Construction of St. Louis homes.

NPH Haiti 2013 21

Residency program.

St. Damien Pediatric Hospital Our most important milestone this past year was that we started our new pediatric residency program. There is a severe shortage of pediatricians in the country, so in partnership with the University of Notre Dame of Haiti (UNDH) and Bernard Mevs Hospital/Medishare, nine physicians are enrolled in the program.

In February, ISUOG, an international ultrasound organization came to St. Damien’s to continue their training with our doctors, nurses and midwives to improve their skills in the proper use of ultrasound. This was the third and final training session in a two-year program. Training was offered to Saint Damien’s staff as well as other health professionals in obstetrics in Haiti.

We are currently studying the best plan to move forward with our department of obstetrics for at-risk pregnancies. We are hoping to transfer normal deliveries to the St. Luke Hospital while keeping caesarian sections and complicated deliveries at St. Damien.

Two children, suffering from heart diseases, traveled to the U.S. in March and a third child in November, for heart surgery. This trip was a concerted effort to save lives on the part of the Akron Children’s Hospital and the International Rotary Club through the Gift of Life Foundation.

22 NPH Haiti 2013

St. Damien doctor and patient.

We want to start offering cardiac surgery to children by integrating a health alliance initiated

by Gift of Life/ Public health field agent.

Rotary Club International in Haiti for adults and children.

Twice a year children with heart disease will be offered surgery with European and American teams in St. Damien and a new hospital in Mirebalais, Haiti. This is part of a long-term plan to develop the capacity to do cardiac surgery by local staff in the next 10 years.

St. Damien Departments Pediatrics Neonatal Maternity Surgery Triage Oncology Tuberculosis Malnutrition HIV Public Health Dental

Total served: 96,123

In May, a German volunteer installed solar power panels on the roof of the hospital and we are now using 20-30% solar power to operate the hospital.

Saint Damien’s integrated the pediatric part of the rehydration/cholera unit from St. Luke Hospital in August 2013. Over 200 children are treated on a monthly basis with all forms of diarrhea. Many times the children present with comorbidities and they benefit from the pediatric management on site.

Additional goals for 2014 are strengthening the tuberculosis program and promoting more integration between the finance department and all other departments for more efficient management.

nicaragua

Marlon Velasquez with music and dance troupe.

Dear Friends and Family, Greetings and thanks from all the Nicaraguan Pequeños and Pequeñas. All of our accomplishments this year would not have been possible without the support of each and every one of you.

Seeing the smiles of children, watching them run, eat, and also misbehave, still inspires me to give thanks from the bottom of my heart.

As a pequeño and National Director, I am very aware of the work and sacrifices that the staff makes at every NPH office around the world. I have witnessed how many times you all have left your families at home to organize fundraising events and how you have unconditionally given your time, care, and concern to be with us.

I can only say thank you and that our children and I will keep you in our prayers. To our sponsors and donors, thank you very much for your abundant and continuous love and support that allows us to continue serving and sharing family values that strengthen the human spirit of all of our children.

The year 2013 was a year full of joys, accomplishments and heartache. One such moment was when Brenda Zenovia, a pequeña from our home, was called to be part of the Kingdom of God. I want to share with each of you that she fought to the end.

She was a girl who knew when enough was enough and when it was time to let go. We miss her but we are sure that she is with God and that she is watching over us from heaven. Thanks to Kieran Rigney and the family of NPH Dominican Republic for giving

Brenda space in your home and hearts, and thank you for the many healthcare staff that cared for her including our local physician, Dr. Silvia.

I would like to end with a saying from Father Ron Hicks of Chicago, “ONCE A PEQUEÑO, ALWAYS A PEQUEÑO.” From the moment you made the decision to be part of this family through your work, support and love, you have also become real Pequeños and always will be.

Paz y Bien and may God bless you, Marlon Velazquez National Director, NPH Nicaragua

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NPH Nicaragua 2013 23

NPH Nicaragua school.

Education Our onsite school strives towards excellence in education as 91% of the students in primary and 93% in secondary completed their year and will move on to the next level. At the university level, Marcio Barberena graduated with a degree in Banking and Finance and now is working in Costa Rica in his field. Lucrecia Guadamuz graduated in the field of Business Administration and now works as coordinator for NPH Casa Guadalupe in Managua. Mirna Sotelo graduated with a degree in pharmacology and works as a pharmacist. Elizabeth Ortega graduated with a degree in Theater Arts and is now working as a high school teacher and Nohemi Lopez graduated with a degree in Psychology and is now part of a human resources department at a manufacturing company. They are excellent examples of success in our family and we are very proud of their accomplishments.

Throughout the year, the NPH fundraising offices have continuously supported us in our vocational workshops by providing buildings, tools and machines for welding, sewing, shoemaking and residential electricity. Within the next year we anxiously hope to start new projects in the house with these resources and thus provide these new vocational opportunities to each of our children.

Hermanos Mayores During 2013 there were two meetings of the Hermanos Mayores program and in 2014, we expect to continue meetings where they will be able to gather and share among themselves and with the rest of family. Our goal is to formalize the program and assign a coordinator.

Currently we offer support to 13 Hermanos who receive financial aid or food and 16 are employed at NPH. Construction and Projects Nicaragua is using our NPH land as a base to feed our children and give them the security of a balanced diet. This is possible due to the people who work on the farms throughout the year. Sister Alana 24 NPH Nicaragua 2013

and the workers in Casa Asis are responsible for producing eggs, chicken, plantains and Casa Working towards sustainability for our meals.

Santiago will soon be producing plantains and bananas. Our year of service youths, have been very essential to our production and sustainability this year.

We are thankful for the efforts of the offices of WereldOuders (NPH Netherlands) and Wilde Ganze Netherlands Foundation for the donation of our new greenhouse, which will provide an abundance of vegetables for our children for many years to come. Eureko Achmea Foundation (Holland) funded the construction of the Welding, Carpentry, Sewing, Shoe Repair and Handicraft Workshop, which will help increase the opportunities for our students when they apply for a job after leaving our home.

Water for the World, Germany and HHH-Event in Holland, helped fund our wastewater treatment project. The treatment system works without electricity or chemicals and the treated wastewater can be used for irrigation of green areas, gardens and our agricultural programs.

Jochnick Foundation (Holland) funded the electricity network phase one so that we could have safe and reliable electricity.

Greenhouse where we grow cucumbers.

Friends of the Orphans Canada funded the electricity network phase two through six.

Jazz Festival via Wilde Ganzen (Holland) funded our cafeteria tables so children can eat meals together in the dinning hall.

Youths help in harvesting crops.

Samaritan project therapy onsite.

Ilse und Franz Tacke Stiftung (Germany) funded materials and equipment for our vocational workshops.

Plans for 2014 The Samaritan project offers a wide range of support including physical and occupation therapy, medical and psychological care, food baskets, and workshops and training for the families on Ometepe Island. Family members are encouraged to attend and support the child who receives assistance. Currently 32 children and their families are enrolled in the program.

The new therapy center will be able to offer private therapy sessions in separate therapy rooms, which will help the children with disabilities to concentrate and develop their greatest possible skills and independence in their daily life.

Samaritan project therapy home visit.

NPH Nicaragua has been working hard at building a community at our permanent home site of Casa Padre Wasson in Jinotepe. The new family style homes have sufficient facilities and have the perfect atmosphere for our children to continue with their education. However, our land is at the front of the Pan American Highway where thousands of travelers and people from around the community pass by all day and night long.

We want to offer protection and privacy and therefore need to build a perimeter wall.

In 2014 we would also like to begin construction on a chapel. We as a Christian family have always believed that religious education must be one of the most important aspect of our children’ lives. For this reason we would like to build a chapel in the home and offer our children a special place for worship and facilitate catechism lessons. These programs will be under the coordination of Fr. Alberto Cisneros, who celebrates mass with the children every week and daily prayers at the clinic with staff and young students.

NPH Nicaragua 2013 25

guatemala Dear friends, On behalf of our NPH Guatemala team, it is an honor to present the achievements of our children in 2013. May the blessings of a New Year be with you and your loved ones as we take a moment to express our gratitude to all whose gift of prayers, time and financial support make possible our daily presence with our children.

Chris Hoyt with a graduate.

Almost everyone who has visited an NPH home has had their hearts touched by the small moments. Our hearts swell with pride when our Montessori students ascend the graduation stage to receive their diplomas or when our girls with special needs dance their elegant waltz to celebrate their 15th birthday. Nevertheless, supporters come to understand NPH in the spontaneity: the generosity, good will, and genuine compassion our children express in moments that simply cannot be planned.

Without a doubt our children impart this goodness because of those who have gone before us to share in the way Fr. Wasson encouraged, by giving what one has, quietly and humbly to someone who needs it. The poet Maya Angelou remarks that “we delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Our team recognizes all those, past and present, who have been entrusted with the responsibility of raising our pequeños.

This year marks an important milestone for NPH Guatemala. Our first university student has completed his studies in medicine and will shortly begin his career as a doctor.

Having arrived at our home at preschool age, his achievements, perseverance and accomplishments are a testament to the culture of unconditional love and support that sets NPH apart. He, like our children, lives with a passion for our family’s values, a thirst to succeed on merit, and persistence to carve his own path.

And so we continue to celebrate our children’s daily achievements, brought to light in the formal moments but ever present in relationship and character.

On All Saints Day, colorful kites of all shapes and sizes, representing the spirits of our children’s deceased family members, stretched across the sky. A poignant Guatemalan tradition unfolded spontaneously before our eyes, and in that instant, we felt humbled and privileged to serve our children. Thank you all for making these moments our daily experiences. Best wishes from the family of NPH Guatemala.

Christopher Hoyt National Director, NPH Guatemala 26 NPH Guatemala 2013

Montessori student eating a snack.

Home Life 2013 has been a year of changes for NPH Guatemala. The home has experienced a change in its leadership and transitions in its school, farm, and other areas as well, but throughout these transitions the home’s staff and volunteers continue striving to improve life for our children.

A crucial element of the children’s development besides their education and atmosphere is their food. NPH Guatemala’s clinic, kitchen and farm have worked together throughout 2013 to bring a healthier diet to the children with a special emphasis on production within the home. The focus on selfsustainability in the home’s farm has brought the children a diet containing the vitamins and proteins that they need from fresh vegetables grown on the grounds and animal products from the livestock raised at the home. These fresh foods are incorporated into the children’s meals by the home’s cooks working in Bakery workshop. collaboration with the clinic to create a menu more conducive to early childhood development.

NPH Guatemala hosted the 7th Annual International Soccer Tournament, with teams from the homes in México, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.

Soccer tournament.

There was strong competition between all the teams in the three days leading to the semi-finals and finals, but in the end, the Honduran boys and Guatemalan girls won first place. In addition to the soccer games, the international NPH family enjoyed a campfire, a cultural evening, a posada, an awards ceremony, and an excursion to nearby Lake Atitlan with members of all the visiting teams. More than 120 members of the other NPH homes joined the NPH Guatemala community for a week of competition, sharing, and family.

Education Education has always been one of our highest priorities. In the past year, Guatemala’s religion department has expanded and solidified its goals of bringing the pequeños more consistent religious education and greater opportunities to participate in the Holy Mass.

Apart from the weekly Sunday mass for the entire home, there are now three weekday masses held in the chapel.

NPH Guatemala continues succeeding in its goal of seeing the children achieve higher education. In 2013, twelve high school students and one university student graduated from their respective institutions. Ten of the twelve high school students graduating this year were females, which is a change from the highly male graduating classes of previous years. With many of the young women intending to continue on to university after completing their years of service with the home, this will mean more successful female university students in the years to come.

years

NPH Guatemala 2013 27

NPH School

We have been faced with the challenge of providing a higher quality of life for the special needs children and young adults who will not be able to pursue independent life outside the home. As our special needs children grow older, they need greater opportunities outside of their normal therapies and classes. The Special Education Department has developed and implemented life planning programs for these children. This may mean several hours of work in the home’s farm or kitchens or other occupational endeavors to complement their regular daily activities. The new life planning gives these youths a chance to feel helpful and also gives the more active children stimulating activities to pursue during the day.

2014 Plans We hope to begin major projects in 2014 including the construction of a chapel and a common area at the home. A second goal is to implement a positive discipline program. The home will begin a new incentive program by rewarding children when they demonstrate good behaviors. This new approach will be a way for caregivers to use positive discipline in a more consistent manner.

The NPH school will likewise be re-vamped during 2014, restructuring class sizes and reallocating personnel to cover these changes. Furthermore, instructors will be subject to additional supervision by school Recreation Workshop administration to ensure that they are implementing lesson plans to the ultimate benefit of the students.

There will be an increased focus on teacher trainings and observations on teaching techniques.

A major goal for the Psychopedagogy Department is to further develop the Recreational Workshop with the additional of a new, long-term volunteer. The workshop gives thirty children the opportunity to develop their motor skills and self-confidence through crafts and handiwork.

The volunteer will expand the program to serve as a vocational workshop for the middle school students while retaining its original purpose of helping children with learning difficulties feel a sense of accomplishment.

28 NPH Guatemala 2013

NPH Guatemala will also begin a planning and career development process at the home to help its employees reach their maximum potential through continued educational opportunities and personal human development. Many of the home’s employees are studying during weekends as they work full-time for NPH, and the home hopes to not only support them in their goals but also provide more chances for career advancement.

Hermanos Mayores NPH Guatemala proudly offers a program called Hermanos Mayores, or Older Brothers and Sisters, with the express purpose of helping former pequeños as they begin leading independent lives.

The program retains contact with the former pequeños by holding home visits, phone calls, and interviews; monitoring their situations so that NPH can help as needed. Furthermore the program maintains social work records and a database so that they can access any important documentation. Finally, the program provides regular academic and employment assistance by helping elaborate resumes and recommendation letters.

Some Hermanos are also given support in the form of food. Others are given a small sum of money to begin their independent lives, as decided by the home’s Social Work department. Three Hermanos Mayores currently work at the home in the school, carpentry workshop, and in the storeroom.

Thank You Rossi family: Donated the travel expenses and many other costs of the International Soccer Tournament held at NPH Guatemala this year.

Donations were made in the memory of their son and brother, Ryan.

Agroindustrias Legumex: Donated fruits and vegetables to NPH, giving the children the nutrients that they need to be successful and a higher quality of life.

Father Frank’s Kids: Donated a large number of furniture, clothing, and other invaluable goods to NPH Guatemala this year which will make life much more comfortable for the kids at the home.

Grupo LALA Guatemala: Donated milk to the home, helping the children receive calcium each day.

Otis Macalister: Donated sardines for the children’s meals, which are incorporated into the children’s healthy diets.

el salvador

Olegario Campos with graduates.

Dear benefactors, friends, godparents, and members of this great NPH family, This year I am grateful to God for letting me share with you the first graduation of one of our university students. We are very proud that she finished her career in Public Accounting. Another of our achievements is that we are seeing our students’ grade averages increase at our onsite school, with special efforts of all our children, caregivers, and teachers who every day dedicate their time so that they can have a better education.

We continue caring for two chronically ill youths, Manuel and Wendy, who despite their special condition, continue to fight to live each day. It is an honor for me to express to you the happiness and proud feelings that I have being next to my team of employees, teachers and caregivers who provide our children with the love, care and attention they need.

Especially thank you to our benefactors, who generously support us so that these changes and achievements may become possible.

May God bless you always, Olegario Campos National Director, NPH El Salvador

NPH El Salvador 2013 29

First university graduate.

Home Life One of the most relevant and important activities that took place at the beginning of the year was that our young college students formed a spiritual group with 22 members called “Cristo Paz.” This group is led by one of our female university students. She is responsible for motivating and leading the entire group with the help of a priest from Santa Ana (the neighboring town of NPH).

The priest and his church have been assisting with the spiritual formation of our children and advising all of those who have intentions to move closer to the Catholic faith. This year the group Cristo Paz took the initiative by leading a three-day retreat for our high school students. Additionally we have a group of leaders called “Paz y Bien” which is composed of eight members. This group is led by the House Coordinator and the group’s purpose is to assist the home in weekend activities.

Four of our caregivers participated in a six month long certification taught at Don Bosco University, provided by ISNA (Salvadoran Institute for the Integral development of Children and Adolescents).

The course focused on best childcare practices and at the same time provided resources so that our caregivers know about children’s rights. This will enhance their work and the services that the children need for their care and upbringing.

Education This year showed an increase of graduates in primary school.

We had 21 graduates from ninth grade and eight graduates from kindergarten. Three of our young ladies completed their studies in nursing, and two of them are being employed at our clinic. One of our graduated nurses from last year, took a six-month course in surgery assistance. She went through the course and obtained her diploma and certification as a surgery assistant and improved her job prospects.

Sabatino INTEX graduates of the, “Instituto Nacional de Texistepeque” is a special program that provides older students with a high school education in eight months. We had nine graduates of this program. From regular High School (which is a two year program), we had twenty graduates. We also had five graduates in technical school, and finally one of our students graduated in Public Accounting from UNICAES, the Catholic University in El Salvador.

30 NPH El Salvador 2013

years

Farm This year’s plantings were successful, especially corn, because with these crops we are securing our rations of corn to make tortillas for the entire coming year. We also planted sorghum, which feeds our cattle, and we reached the quantity needed to keep our livestock fed throughout the year.

We also grew radishes, cucumbers and squash.

Preparing food from the garden.

The process for the production of vegetables takes time due to the fact that our soil is not very fertile and we have to prepare the land with fertilizer.

Getting fresh milk.

Another source of production for our daily consumption are our 12 dairy cows, which produce 135 bottles of milk daily. With this production, we are able to give a glass of milk to each of our children everyday. Also every four months we butcher a cow, which provides meals for two weeks. In total, we have 39 livestock in our stable.

Religion Sixty-one of our children had very special moments in the church this year. Three of them were baptized and 26 of them received their First Communion, and also we had the confirmation of 32 of our children in the Cathedral of Santa Ana by the regional Bishop.

Those sacraments are special events in the Catholic Church leading us to a life closer to God. Thus, these days were very memorable and special for our NPH children from El Salvador.

For the entire family of NPH El Salvador, the evening of November 23rd was an extraordinary day because we celebrated the quinceaĂąera of 12 of our beloved pequeĂąas.

Hermanos Mayores Currently NPH El Salvador is supporting 18 Hermanos Mayores, who left the NPH house to start an independent life. Some of them receive assistance in the form of monthly basic food allotments, while other Hermanos Mayores receive help for their college studies and some receive financial aid.

2014 Goals Preparing us for the next year, one of our aims is to create a soccer field for the girls. Our girls are increasingly incorporating more sports into their lives, which helps a by providing other forms of enjoyment and promotes both physical and mental health. We are promoting potential donations for the construction of the field with the Mayor of Texistepeque.

An academic goal in the school and in the home is to encourage our children to read more, especially those youths in their year of service. We will promote internal competitions with the children, doing a book fair, and giving them a month to read, and finally having a contest of the best summary of the books chosen.

We want to build picnic tables and cement benches in the garden, so that the children have a place where they could rest or do homework.

Another goal is the renovation of the laundry room of the babies’ house to a larger space.

And finally, we will work to achieve our harvest of yucca, which we planted last June. It is a typical food here in El Salvador, and the children really enjoy it.

Thank You We want to tell you that all of our accomplishments are thanks to the special support that our sponsors and individual donors constantly provide. We are making the lives and dreams of our children increasingly achievable, especially by helping them to adapt to society as individuals, either professionally or technically.

Every year in one way or another, we realize that the providence of God and the vision of Fr. Wasson will never leave us. Thank you for your contribution and commitment to our home.

First communion.

in the2011 U.S. with supporters.

24Folkloric NPH Eldancer Salvador

NPH El Salvador 2013 31

dominican republic

Dear friends and family, With ten new children making their way into our home, construction being completed on our new special needs home and high school and watching our first two young adults go off to university, I would say we have indeed been blessed this year.

As our home finishes its tenth year we are starting to see more dreams being realized for our older youths and many starting to form in our younger ones minds. I constantly remind our children of the opportunities that may come their way because of being at Kieran Rigney with a graduate.

NPH. They often have larger than life dreams that sometimes are out of their reach. I remind them that we do not guarantee all their wishes will be granted in the future, but we do guarantee them the opportunities necessary to accomplish them.

The other day, I went to visit, José, one of our older boys, a “hermano mayor,” (Spanish for “older brother”) who had just begun his three month training at the police academy. José explained how difficult it was but also his determination to succeed and graduate.

I remember this same boy once making plans for university but

knowing too well that this path in life was not for him. Instead, upon leaving the home, José secured a job at a local gas station first and a hardware store second before making his decision to join the police force.

Joining the police may not be considered a huge success to some, but what I saw in this young man was the satisfaction of accomplishment and progress. I had a group of our older boys visiting with me and it was a true family reunion. We were his family, José knew it and we knew it. NPH had become his family during his time in the home and I am glad that we can continue to be there for José as he grows and starts his career in life.

It is not always so easy to be there for the children given the diverse differences of each individual, but we have to do our best to accomplish this mission. If I had a wish, it would be to allow every one of our children to grow and dream their dreams. For some their dreams will come true; for other their dreams will lead them to succeed in ways they never would have imagined.

Many of these hopes and dreams could not even be created without the kind assistance and support from people like you. I want you to know it is appreciated by all, especially all the dreamers in our home.

Kieran Rigney National Director, NPH Dominican Republic

Home Life In January our home celebrated its 10th anniversary with a big fiesta full of laughter and fun. Since starting our family with just a handful of children living in separate homes in San Pedro de Macoris, we have grown to 232 children living on a wonderful, 50 acre piece of land. Our home has gone through many transformations in the past 10 years and we all look forward to seeing what will happen in the next decade.

We had a number of exciting things happen in our home including three inaugurations. In February, construction restarted on the second story of our high school. After consisting of only cinderblock walls for more than two years, we received a generous donation that has allowed us to complete the project. This made it possible for us to start the 2013-2014 school year with the opening of four new classrooms and the addition of our 11th grade students.

32 NPH Dominican Republic 2013

years

Casa San Marcos –Special Needs House

In April we held our second inauguration which opened our new cyber café. With the help of many donations of both time and materials we now have 14 computers for the children to use for their studies. Each computer is equipped with a number of learning games, a document writing program and an offline version of Wikipedia for research projects. Every afternoon the café is open for the kids to work on homework or practice their computer skills.

Goals for 2014 On our “short list” for this coming year are a number of education based goals. There are still some empty rooms in our newly completed high school that are waiting to be filled with both furniture and students. While the furniture is still yet to be purchased, we do have a group of students lined up to take their seat, next year’s 12th grade class.

Our third and final grand opening happened on December 20th for our new special needs house, Casa San Marcos–Marco Simoncelli.

After their son passed away, the Simoncelli family started a foundation in his name to help special needs children. With the help of NPH Italy and other organizations, they were able to raise the funds to build an amazing home for our children with disabilities.

The home is better equipped to meet the needs of these children and has a number of therapy rooms, including a therapy pool. The Simoncelli family and members of NPH Italy were present for the inauguration and wonderful celebration of life and hope.

Next year 15 high school students will be beginning their career studies. Whether it is in university or trade school there will be costs associated and we are determined to find the funds to help every one of these young adults. The group has a wide range of professional interests including dentist, teacher, hotel manager, accountant and more. While we are already in the process of finding support for all of our students, there is quite a bit more ground to cover. Every Dance troupe. one of these students has such an interest in studying and reaching for their career goals.

We couldn’t be happier to assist them along the way.

Education This was a big year in education for our home as well. In June, we celebrated the graduation of twenty 8th graders and 15 kindergarteners.

Then in July we watched our largest group of high school students walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. All 13 young adults were beaming as they shook with one hand and reached for their diploma with the other. This hard working group is now in their year of service and making plans for next year and their future careers. Most have the desire to head off to university while others are making plans for technical schools.

NPH school classroom.

We also celebrated our first two students beginning their university studies. Both of these young ladies are working hard in their classes and enjoying the experience. Deborah is studying medicine at the local private university and hopes to one day work with the NPHI medical team. Mireya is studying clinical psychology and would like to focus her profession on children.

Our workshops are starting to become a large part of our educational program. In 2014, we hope to build and fill the structures needed to teach carpentry, mechanics and welding in a safe and learning centered environment. We have the space and building designs, but are still looking for the funds and support to make the project come to life.

This past year we have increased our local fundraising efforts and have seen the benefits, but would like to see the local influence grow even more. With the increase this year our home has been able to keep our budget close to what it has been in the past and not cut too many costs. Our goal for next year is to see the local efforts raise our annual budget and allow for our home to grow in numbers and ability to help.

NPH Dominican Republic 2013

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With the opening of San Marcos we have the space to welcome 10 more children with disabilities into our family. As there are many costs involved in this process it will take some time before we will be at capacity.

Community Service and Outreach Programs It has become a tradition for our family to give back to our community during the holiday season. With the direction of our leadership group, a number of children packed and delivered care packages for 100 families. Each container was filled with items such as food, cleaning supplies, toys and more. The group then travels to nearby poor community to hand deliver the gifts. Games are also set up and played with the children of the neighborhood, followed by snack packs for every child. Each delivery group consists of a new group of children from our home to allow as many as possible the opportunity to be a part of the experience.

Our other outreach projects have continued to grow throughout the years, thanks to our outreach coordinator, Kiki Henschel-Rolla.

Many of the projects are ongoing while others arise as new needs are identified. A few of the programs that we have continued throughout 2013 are: educational classes in poor community where people young and old learn the basics of language and math as well as hygiene and contagious diseases; construction of homes and latrines, helping to provide a stable and sanitary life for those most in need; medical assistance through Walkabout Foundation recipient. check-ups, analysis, and setting up little pharmacies; and other programs to increase the livelihood of our neighbors.

This year we also had a visit from the Walkabout Foundation who helped to distribute over 50 wheelchairs to people in our

34 NPH Dominican Republic 2013

NPH Dominican Republic family.

community. In October, a group from the foundation came to our home and taught a handful of our year of service youths how to put together and size the chairs while helping to hand out 30 of the donated wheelchairs. The rest have been delivered in a series of house calls to those unable to leave their homes. The staff from the Walkabout Foundation was very impressed with everything our home is doing and told us to start making another list as they would love to continue helping in the Dominican Republic.

Thank You We are blessed with a wonderful group of supporters and donors who have helped make all these wonderful things happen this year. Our gratitude goes out to: the Orange Foundation for helping with our cyber cafÊ and their continued donations of notebooks and backpacks; CESPM for their generous donation of power for our home; the Simoncelli Foundation and family of Marco Simoncelli for our amazing new special needs home, Casa San Marcos- Marco Simonchelli; Mr. Ji and NPH Belgium for helping us complete the construction of our high school; the International Women’s Thank you! club for many donations and sponsors; NPH USA, Playa Nueva Romana, J & J Kids International, Industrias Aguayo, Agora Mall, Malespin, Kindermissionwerk, The Walkabout Foundation, Club Rotario Macorix- Higuamo, Licey baseball club, Hormigones del Caribe, Banco Progresso, Tropigas, ECCUS, Collegio Montessori, CEMEX, Mediteranean Shipping and Squire Sanders. Thanks to all the groups that made a trip to our home to help better the lives of our children and community. Finally, a huge thank you goes out to all of our sponsors. It is with your support and love for the kids that we are able to continue to thrive. You help brighten the lives of all of our children on a daily basis and for that we cannot thank you enough.

peru

Alfredo Hernández with university students who won scholarships.

Dear Friends, 2013 was a challenging and demanding year for our family.

It was marked by a severe economic crisis and also by our strong efforts we put on an integral development of our children. Nonetheless, 2013 has presented a chance for the staff, Hermanos Mayores and volunteers to commit once again to the NPH vision and

contribute to following its mission.

Despite all the challenges in the past year, we were able to accomplish some long awaited projects. The construction of the kitchen was an essential project for our cooks that we could complete in 2013. Starting the construction of the dining hall and the baby house was another successful achievement of the year. A generous donation from our Canadian friends enabled us to provide a grass soccer field while reducing dust in the various sports played by the children on a daily basis. The Canadian volunteer groups who arrived in the first months of the year also helped us with some important projects including painting the children houses, building cabinets for the homes, as well as making picnic benches and canopies. The installation of the irrigation lines for the lawns and gardens was another helpful project completed by the Canadians.

Family Life Due to our persistent efforts, we were able to take advantage of numerous social programs such as “Vaso de Leche” (A Glass of Milk) and PRONAA (Food Assistance), which provided us with milk and food donations through the year.

Our local fundraising efforts resulted in successful outcomes such as receiving funds for traditional dance classes for the children as well as memorable trips to Lima and Lunahuána.

Through the year we took advantage of the visit of Fr. Alberto Cisneros from NPH Nicaragua and Fr. Reynaldo Galindo from NPH Honduras who offered their support to a range of initiatives with an emphasis on strengthening family life. While enjoying Sunday masses in our home, multiple workshops and discussion sessions with various children groups and staff were held. Through these sessions both children and staff gained a better understanding of NPH philosophy and mission, Fr. Wasson’s life and vision as well as a number of other subjects.

We were especially thankful for the many outdoor activities they organized for the children during the summer.

We are proud of our 25 graduates from kindergarten, 10 from primary school and five from secondary school. One of our biggest priorities for 2014 is to establish a program for the children with learning difficulties. We hope to find alternative solutions for integrating these children into the education system and offer them more opportunities to learn and develop.

Regarding health services in our home we took a major step towards providing better vision for the children by acquiring 20 pairs of prescription glasses. We also started a dental project in 2013, which we will continue through the years ahead.

I want to express our sincere gratitude to all the benefactors that support us in our efforts to offer the best possible care and love for our children. Thank you to our Canadian friends for their continuous help and commitments. Our NPH family in Peru would not have advanced as it has over the last five years without their generosity.

God bless all of you, Alfredo Hernández National Director, NPH Peru

years NPH Peru 2013

35

Fr. Phil Cleary with quinceañera/os.

One of our goals for 2014 is to strengthen the family spirit at NPH Peru. Through the support of our new House Director and Hermano Mayor, Rafael Arce, we aim to promote togetherness and family pride by purposefully structuring activities that allow for it to develop. Feelings of connectedness and belonging are significant for the children’s optimal growth and development. We hope that our family evolves into a more cohesive unit throughout the upcoming year.

Education A proud achievement for our small family in 2013 was the remarkable success of Leticia, Atahualpa and Vilma, who were awarded a full university scholarship by the Peruvian government. During a ceremony, the Peruvian President, On our way to school.

Ollanta Humala, handed out the scholarships to the new students Big brother helping as a caregiver. at the presidential palace in Lima. Leticia, Atahualpa and Vilma have already started their studies at the best universities and professional colleges in Lima.

Celebrating seven new graduates from high school was another proud success in this past year. These young men and women will serve our family for an entire year before starting their studies at the university.

We continued with an after school tutoring program that was launched in September 2012 through a partnership with a local public pedagogical institute called, “San Josemaría Escrivá”.

Providing academic support for elementary school students, children are paired with teachers to receive one-on-one help with their homework.

Through the regional government in Cañete, we were offered the opportunity to send all the children under 13 to intensive language courses including English, French, Quechua, Chinese, etc.

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NPH Peru 2013

Health In April a comprehensive eye examination was completed for children five years and older. The project aimed at both treatment of eye diseases and vision correction. Four children received proper eye treatment and 20 of our children were prescribed with medical eyeglasses. Thanks to NPH International Medical Services, three donors from United States were immediately identified and provided the children in need with required eyeglasses. The successful launch of this project was a relief for the children with vision problems. Now they can see the school board clearly and comfortably and relieve their eyes while reading or using computer.

In May a comprehensive dental project was started where each child received a check-up including oral examination and assessment and this has led to appropriate treatments through several sessions. This project is still in progress.

Handwashing our clothes.

An important step towards ensuring health protection was taken in August with the launch of a prevention program, initiated by our volunteer nurse and implemented by our medical team. The program focused on three priority areas, water consumption, teeth and body cleansing as well as sexual education workshops for the older kids and the employees. Efforts continued through the year to promote effective education and prevention. We also strengthened our clinic by employing two new nurses and increasing the working hours of our pediatrician. With help from NPHI Medical Services we have initiated key reforms in health services and will continue to set higher quality standards.

Construction and Projects A high point of 2013 was the accomplishment of one of our foremost priorities: constructing the permanent kitchen. The new kitchen meets the hygiene and safety standards, provides the

required facilities for cooking and is undoubtedly an optimal place for saving food and preparing meals for our family. For over two years, our cooks and also the children who were helping in the kitchen were working under tough conditions caused by the lack of proper conditions in the prefab kitchen. We were fortunate enough to host Fr. Phil Cleary for the inaugural celebration and he blessed the kitchen in the presence of our whole family on June 22nd.

Thanks largely to the extensive support undertaken by Friends of the Orphans Canada, we were also able to concurrently start with the construction of a house for the youngest of our children and the dining hall. Together with our toddlers, Alfredo HernĂĄndez broke ground on both construction sites on November 4th. The aim is to complete both projects at the beginning of 2014 and to take a welcomed step towards promoting family togetherness and ensuring a better quality of life for our toddlers.

Our home continues developing and we look forward to numerous upcoming construction projects in 2014. Building public toilets, the clinic and the school remain at the top of our agenda. We will make every effort to start building our own school this year. In keeping with NPH’s overall commitment to offering the best possible education to the children, we aim to achieve quality education for all the children. A high percentage of our children are behind in development or have New kitchen. severe learning difficulties.

There is no appropriate educational institution in San Vicente, the town where our home is based.

Completing this project is of a crucial importance and implies better standards in education as well as learning opportunities for the children with special needs.

during the last years. Deepest thanks to Jackie Zister (coordinator of the Canadian groups) and to all Canadian volunteers for their yearly visit and for accomplishing substantial projects such as providing a water pump and an irrigation system to the gardens and the playground. We are particularly grateful for Tom Droog who has committed himself to support our family with a generous donation over five consecutive years. Thank you to Diana Barreda and her family for their fundraising efforts and for their constant support during the whole year.

We humbly thank our extended NPH family, Medical Services and Family Services for their great support during the challenging times.

Thank you to our dedicated staff and volunteers. Our achievements in 2013 highlighted the importance of work is carried out by them, enlisted for their expertise and passion.

To further strengthen our financial independence, we have plans to launch our first animal production and sustainable agriculture projects in 2014. A non-profit organization based in the USA has agreed to lay the groundwork for the gardens and animals. The project will primarily focus on responding to the home needs and promote our self-sufficiency.

Thank You The fact that we ended 2013 on such a high note is a testament to a remarkable group of godparents, supporters, donors and prayers who helped advance our mission through their generous giving.

Our sincere gratitude and appreciation goes to our Canadian friends and donors for their continuous support, loyalty and generosity NPH Peru 2013

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bolivia Dear Friends and Family, Although the global economy has showed little improvement and some of the fundraising offices live in times of uncertainty, NPH Bolivia has been blessed many times this year.

That being said, I am recognizing the fundraisers, sponsors, donors, godparents, volunteers, and all the Jose Luis Guzman, National Director. personnel that work in each of the different NPH houses, because they continue making it possible for NPH to work towards its mission of changing children’s lives. This all takes great teamwork, and I personally feel very proud to be a part of this great team.

In 2013, we inaugurated the primary school, with four classrooms as well as men and women’s bathrooms, all made possible thanks to our friends from Belgium. On behalf of our friends from Germany, it was finally possible for us to provide a beautiful health care center to our children and youth. Our great friends from Canada made the dream of having a visitor and volunteer home a reality. Additionally, with the approval of Friends of the Orphans Canada, we have started the second building phase, which will be a visitor’s home, built to accommodate thirty people.

No less important but smaller, we have succeeded in maintaining our sheep project and our vegetable garden, which is in its second year. Our youths continue learning how to work with the sheep and in the garden and teaching the younger children. In this way, in very little time and with no experienced personnel, our cattle have increased from 4 to 24 heads in just four years. This year, the youths and children managed to plant and sow 1500 plants, including local native trees, ornamental plants, and fruit-bearing plants. Sewing machines were also purchased, because soon, the oldest children interested in learning will be taught how to use them.

As I mentioned, I feel very fortunate to be a part of NPH. I cannot overlook thanking all of you, one more time, for all of your work, donations, and sponsorships, which make the existence of our family possible.

With profound gratitude, José Luís Guzmán National Director, NPH Bolivia

38 NPH Bolivia 2013

New classrooms.

Home Life Our home was fortunate to continue with the tradition of several small but important celebrations. We celebrated the baptism of 12 young boys and girls, the first communion of another 21 pequeùos, and the confirmation of six young men and women. Families of the children were invited to all three occasions, and many of our caregivers served as the children’s godparents. In April, we were also able to celebrate the 8th anniversary of the home with a full day of games and a soccer tournament. Finally, the celebration of the transition of girls into young women happens when they turn 15. We were able to host a very special evening for the six young women in our home who turned 15 this year with a mass, dinner and cake, speeches, photo presentation, and dance.

We have found a certain level of balance between recreational activities and responsibilities for the children. A soccer school for the youths has been implemented for boys and girls between the ages of thirteen and eighteen years. The children train with a coach three mornings a week. This provides them the opportunity to participate in tournaments in the neighboring community of San Ignacio. At the same time, children of all ages, along with the staff, continue to maintain the garden, which is in its second year, and the sheep project. This balance between work and play has created a sense of calmness in the home.

Although we did not plan on accepting new children into our home this year, due to economic restraints, on February 4th, we welcomed 12 very at-risk children (11 under the age of 10) into our family. They have since all integrated well into the family, and we could not be more grateful to see their smiling faces every day. A thirteenth child, who was just a year and a half old, was dropped at our doorstep just a month later. He has four older siblings already living in our home and has shown much development in his interactions with others in his nine months.

Education We are very proud of our children for having proven to be exceptional students across the board. Of our 44 secondary students, who attend the local parish school in Portachuelo, 10 were recognized as best alumnus, and six are currently ranked number one in their graduating class.

In December, we celebrated the graduation of six students from the high school. They will begin their year of service at NPH this coming January; the majority will be working as caregivers in the homes but also as maintenance workers and information technology assistants.

Currently, two of our young men are studying engineering and one of our young ladies is studying business at the university. They will begin their third of five years of studies. They return to NPH on the weekends and during their summer and winter breaks. In January 2014, two more youths, who are finishing their year of service, will join them, and another will begin his studies at a university in Mexico.

At our primary school, we plan to implement a project of comprehensive reading and a Montessori project for the children up to age six.

As this will be our second year using the school, we hope to better coordinate and guide our future teachers and to improve the overall educational quality by enhancing intellectual, athletic, and cultural skills among the students.

years NPH Bolivia 2013

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Clinic (classrooms in background).

Construction We completed the construction of several important buildings this year. First, the primary school, complete with four classrooms and men’s and women’s restrooms, was finished early in the year thanks to the support of NPH Belgium, and the children were able to begin classes in February.

The clinic was completed in June with the support of NPH Germany.

The clinic includes a pharmacy, doctor’s office, nurses’ office, psychologist office, and social worker office. There are also rooms built for future growth, such as the dentist office and physical therapy room.

Ken Speers and his team from Friends of the Orphans Canada, made the completion of the volunteer home possible. They visited for two weeks in October for the first time and were present for the volunteer home inauguration. Plans for 2014 include, working on the construction of a visitor home. We hope to complete the house before their visit in October. The new home will allow us to be able to host teams of up to 30 people at one time, which was never a possibility before.

Healthcare As we now have two volunteer nurses working at the home, they have been able to implement a series of campaigns. Since Bolivia is incredibly hot almost the entire year, many children do not drink enough water throughout the day and find themselves

Tutoring classroom.

with headaches or lack of energy. In an attempt to fix this small but still noteworthy problem, the nurses have posted facts about the importance of water as well as full water pitchers with cups throughout NPH. Additionally, they have had dental care and personal hygiene workshops.

Thank You We would like to thank all of our children’s godparents for their continual economic and emotional support. Your generous contributions make it possible for us to put food on 109 children’s plates three times a day, and the kind words that you send them truly brighten their days and their bedrooms, as they love hanging up your cards and pictures. We would also like to extend a very special thank you to the NPH offices in Germany, Austria, Canada, and Belgium for making possible the sheep project as well as the construction of our school, clinic, and volunteer home. Words cannot express our gratitude for the opportunities that all our donors, godparents, and fundraisers have made possible for the children.

We are not permitted to print photos that show the faces of minors from Bolivia.

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NPH Bolivia 2013

2013 HIGHLIGHTS 3,269:* Total children cared for living in our homes 289: New arrivals in our homes.

113,387: Children and adults who received community assistance (medical, education, in-kind donations and emergency relief) 573: Children living with HIV that receive antiretrovirals 372: Honduras Holy Family Surgery Center surgeries 32: NPH university graduates 162: NPH high school graduates 1,688: Children from low-income households that attend NPH schools 244: Children living with family who receive academic scholarships 243: NPH youths that earned a vocational certification 120: Full-time volunteers 1,400: NPH staff and youths that received childcare and leadership training 598: Holy Sacraments (First Communion, Baptism, Confirmation) Haiti / Opened: 1987 Children living in home: 718, Total child population: 2,910 Dominican Republic / Opened: 2003 Children living in home: 232, Total child population: 333 Mexico / Opened: 1954 Children living in home: 752 Total child population: 765 Guatemala / Opened: 1996 Children living in home: 285, Total child population: 501 El Salvador / Opened: 1999 Children living in home: 311, Total child population: 331 Honduras / Opened: 1985 Children living in home: 469, Total child population: 678 Nicaragua / Opened: 1994 Children living in home: 235, Total child population: 375

Peru / Opened: 2004

Children living in home: 94

Bolivia / Opened: 2005

Children living in home: 109

*Yearly 2013 average of children living in homes. As of December 31, 2013, total children living in homes was 3,205.

Total child population reflects external children who receive support by either attending our onsite schools, receive scholarships, medical services and or therapies, or other support services.

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