Pablo (fictitious name) is 26 years old. While working as a bus driver, he was attacked by several unknown people and struck by a bullet. In that instant, his life radically changed. Pablo and his family began the long road to recovery.
Pablo was taken to Dr. Juan José Fernández National Hospital in Zacamil. Once admitted, the hospital staff who had received training from the “Sanando Heridas” program helped him reach physical and emotional stability.
My name is Gabriela, I’m 15 years old. I am currently in the ninth grade at Centro Escolar Marcelino García Flamenco. I’m also in the Girls Club. This club and the school coordinator have provided a lot of support for me during the hardest of times. Four years ago, my father was taken to jail. […]
Before enrolling in the club, I wouldn’t say much, and I didn’t talk to anyone. I was afraid that I would start crying if someone asked me about my brother or my parents. And, I had very little patience with my mom. I would get angry with her easily. Gradually, the way my volunteer and my clubmates interacted with me helped me to open up. I started talking to them in the club and the fear I once felt started to go away. I even started to feel more comfortable.
The garden is my place of peace and tranquility, where I can go to focus on the present and leave the past behind. Because of a difficult family situation, I changed a lot. I lost my self-confidence and it was impossible for me to live and communicate with my family. But when I’m taking care of the garden, a little bit of my happiness returns and I feel I can move on with my life.
My dad migrated to the United States before I was born. Throughout my life I have felt a void and his absence has really affected me. When I think that I may never see him, I feel desperate and get very sad. Sometimes it’s hard to think of anything else. I often feel lonely and […]
My name is Eneyda, I am a Debate Club volunteer. For five years, I was also a participant of the same club. Today, I live in San Salvador and study law at one of El Salvador’s best universities. But life wasn’t always this way. When I think about my experience as a student in the […]
Mourning the death of my grandmother, failing nearly every course, living away from my parents, and making poor decisions, I felt I was losing control of everything. However, our volunteer, profe Renato and the Finance Club became my driving force. In each session, I learned to continue working towards my life goals and never give […]
Sandra dropped out of school at 15 after finding out she was pregnant. Despite her lack of formal education, Sandra decided to become a volunteer mentor for one of our Girls Clubs in order to help guide girls and young women in making informed decisions about their bodies and their lives. In the Club, she […]
“I lost my mother last year, and the pain I felt is something that I really can’t explain. After she died, I acted out. I was rebellious, disinterested, spoiled, and had a very bad attitude at home and at school. My grades started to slip and I started getting a lot of bad grades. It […]
Eduardo lives in a community that is heavily stigmatized due to violence. Opportunities to break from the vicious cycle of poverty and violence are limited. Making it difficult for Eduardo, as well as his classmates, to believe in themselves and dream of a brighter future. In 2012, Eduardo joined the Debate Club and said this […]