Before they came to the Mountain of Light, two brothers and their two sisters worked each day picking peppers and onions in the hot sun to help their impoverished family. Now that Montaña de Luz has helped their family open a tortilla stand, the four young siblings have the luxury of attending school. Each day, they receive individualized curriculums and healthy meals.
“I give thanks to you for the opportunity to study here,” said one brother, who is 13 years old. (To protect their privacy, MdL does not make public the names or show the faces of children in its care.) “I am thankful that you gave me and my siblings the chance to be in school. We are thankful for the love you give us; it is like a family. Thank you for the food and for having me here.”
The boy and his siblings shared their thoughts with MdL staff in Honduras. He has twin sisters, who are 10 years old, and a younger brother, who is 6.
One of his sisters said, “I am learning to cook, have friendships, how to read and write. I study every day. Thank you for helping me. With lots of love, care, appreciation and blessings to your families.”
Her sister added: “Thank you for the opportunity to know and share with everyone. Thank you for the meals. When I am older, I want to study beauty.”
The children’s parents are part of MdL’s Healthy Families Honduras program, which serves more than 40 families. This year, MdL launched a small business incubator program to help some families launch a business to generate sustainable income.
MdL’s school, Escuela Alfasic, opened in 2013. It’s one of the few schools registered in Honduras for children with learning differences. At the time, several MdL youth technically were passing their classes but struggled to write their own name. So MdL hired a full-time educator, Fany Mira. She works with MdL youth at the group home as well as children in the expanded school. In addition, she provides educational support and private tutoring to families beyond the mountain.
MdL spends $3,000 a year on tuition, supplies and uniforms to strive toward making education accessible for everyone.