Since Orphan Helpers started in 2000, the organization has been on a mission to transform the lives of children and youth in desperate need of hope and opportunities. The work began inside a rundown government-operated orphanage in El Salvador. It grew from El Salvador to Honduras, and now to Guatemala. It grew from orphanages to juvenile correctional centers. It grew from working with youth while they were locked up inside the centers to providing aftercare services as they reintegrate back into their local communities.  In 2014, Honduras closed the doors on its government-run orphanage ..read more

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) Walter has faced many difficult challenges in his young life, from a troubled childhood to negative peer influences to incarceration. Today, though, he has friends in his Orphan Helpers network who are giving him the boost he needs. Walter is currently pursuing a computer engineering degree with scholarship assistance from Orphan Helpers. At the same time, to help support himself, he is striving to launch an entrepreneurial venture. Recently he entered – and won – a ..read more

The Success Academy is expanding rapidly in Guatemala thanks to donors giving generously, staff working hard, and God guiding the ministry. In January, Orphan Helpers started work inside Guatemala’s detention center for girls. Facilitators Norma and Lucia launched the very first Success Academy in the country. They successfully taught life skills and faith formation to nine girls who made the commitment to work towards a better future. “For these girls, the Academy has been an opportunity to learn how to get along with others. They are learning to trust themselves and work as a team. Most i ..read more

Karina still struggles to think about her painful childhood and abusive father. “It was a childhood of suffering,” she recalls. “There was never love for me or my five sisters. I still cannot believe someone could abuse his own children in that way.” In her teen years, Karina wanted to get as far away from the abuse as possible. She started hanging out on the streets with a rough group of friends. She soon found herself behind bars where she served for nearly four years. “I guess, in some way, I was looking for a new family, where nobody would touch or hurt me. At the time, it’s what I thought ..read more

Previously incarcerated youth are not only changing their own lives, they’re also bringing joy and hope to others in their communities. Success Academy graduates in Honduras who are now released have been planning and implementing various service projects this year. In San Pedro Sula in September, the Orphan Helpers network of released youth commemorated Children’s Day through a day of service. This self-organized and self-governed group made a heartfelt decision to dedicate their time to a neighborhood known for its limited access to education, pervasive poverty, and frequency of violence. Th ..read more

A respected optometrist in San Salvador has recognized rare talent in one of the graduates of Orphan Helpers’ Success Academy. Silas spent five years behind bars. During that time, he participated in the Success Academy, learning life skills and growing in his faith.  Today, Silas spends his days working as an optometry tech and studying to be an optometrist. He first began working as a security guard for the doctor’s office, but his interest in optometry, his positive demeanor and his work ethic quickly caught the attention of the staff. “He is punctual, dependable, diligent and is ..read more