Translated from the words of Hermelindo Ichich, the founder of AFENJ

The boys and adults whom live in Guatemala face great challenges in order to develop.    Approximately 80% of the population lives in poor conditions and 60% in extreme poor conditions.    Illiteracy and poor nutrition is the highest in Latin America. The effects of 36 years of civil war and a long history of social, political and economic exclusion of the indigenous population, has resulted en a large majority of the rural population clamoring for access to health services, economic opportunities and education.     For this reason, "The Association Faith and Hope for Children and Youth, (AFENJ)" was created for the necessity of helping the children, the least protected in Guatemala; thanks to God, we have been given the opportunity to help these children.    

With the work and will of Mr. Hermelindo Ichich, we have opened a space in order to help these children, whom do not have the opportunity in order to develop.    As the food and protection study has shown that the children of Guatemala are poorly treated, possibly, I am an example:   I was badly treated as a child and could not defend myself from the bad treatment that they gave me. But now, that I am an adult, I can now help the children who can not defend themselves from the bad treatments they receive in their houses or on the streets.    Especially, as in Guatemala there is no institute, which helps these children, the ones who can't study. Now, that I have the opportunity to do something, I will do it with much pleasure for these children who need it the most.

Hermelindo's Family thanks you for all your support.