ABOUT OUR MOUNTAIN OF LIGHT: FROM HOSPICE TO HOPE
Montaña de Luz is a faith-based 501 (c) (3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Honduras. Our story began over 25 years ago, when a group from Central Ohio traveled down to facilitate hurricane relief efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. When this group saw the dire need for children living with HIV/AIDS at the time, they founded our organization in 2001 as a hospice, providing palliative care and a place to pass with dignity.
Although already available in Western nations, HIV antiretroviral medication had not yet reached Honduras, with the nation reaching the highest rates of HIV in the Western Hemisphere. After gaining access to this lifesaving medication in 2003, Montaña de Luz evolved into a children’s home, with over 100 youth calling our mountain home to date. Today, this home continues, but our mission has continued to evolve toward prioritizing family-based care and community outreach. For over 25 years, Montaña de Luz has served Hondurans, seeking sustainable solutions as we work toward an AIDS-free future.
Our Vision and Values
The Mountain of Light aims to become the leading provider of family-based, coordinated care resources for children and individuals affected by HIV/AIDS across Honduras. We strive to dramatically increase the use of anti-retroviral medications, eradicate HIV stigma, and empower thousands more Hondurans to live happy and healthy lives.
Today, an estimated 25,000 Hondurans are living with HIV, with only roughly 3 in 5 of those individuals actively receiving antiretroviral treatment (CDC, 2025). HIV prevalence rates vary widely by region and demographic, with a majority of transmission being vertical (mother-to-child). Although great progress has been made, a recent UN AIDS study found over 40% of Honduran respondents self-reporting discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2024). Although much progress has been made since we opened our doors in 2001, there is much work ahead. Our dedicated and talent team seeks to continue to build on these trends and support an AIDS-free future, free of HIV discrimination, where all families have the access to the quality care and education they need.
As part of our commitment to safety, we do not share any public-facing photos of the children we serve or families without their explicit permission. Montaña de Luz is proud to host Honduran-led and Honduran-designed initiatives to advance our goals as an organization. To learn more about our incredible team, visit our Meet Our Team page.
Help Our Mountain of Light Keep Shining
Today, Montaña de Luz is focused on family preservation. HIV is the #2 reason why a child enters institutional care in Honduras, but we know that an HIV diagnosis should never be a reason for a child to be separated from their family. Coupled with underemployment and poverty far too prevalent in Honduras, our interdisciplinary team developed a holistic program seeking to intervene and keep families together.
Through our Healthy Families Honduras program, we have served 109 families throughout Honduras that have been impacted by HIV. We intervene before a child needs to be removed from the home. Our team in Honduras offers psychological and educational support, in addition to transportation to medical appointments. Since 2018, we have prevented at more than 55 children from entering institutional care. Through the support of friends of Montaña de Luz, we hope to continue to expand this program and continue shining a light on HIV empowerment.