My Story

Nueva Esperanza, which means New Hope, is located in a slum area of Guatemala City, Guatemala. An extremely poor area, our program is squeezed in among the shanty dwellings built over an old city dump. Many houses in this area are without toilets or running water and are assembled with scrap wood, sheet metal, and cardboard. Zone 5, where Nueva Esperanza is located, is considered one of the most dangerous areas of Guatemala City. It is controlled by gangs and drug pushers. Robberies and murders are common in this area. Public education is available - however, many cannot afford it. Life in Zone 5 is very difficult. It is an extremely dangerous area where criminals, prostitutes and drug addicts live.  

Hello, I send you many greetings thankful to have the opportunity to tell you a little about my life. My name is Araceli Esmeralda Garcia Gonzalez, and I was born on December 8, 2017. I am now 7 years old. I am a first-grade student. The things that I like the most in my free time are playing dolls and painting. My favorite color is yellow and I love cats. A delicious dish for me is chicken feet and rice. I am a healthy child. About my family, my father is Marlon Dario Garcia, and he supports our family by working as a security police officer. My mother is Ana Lucrecia Gonzalez Hernandez, and she stays at home taking care of us. I have one brother; his name is Yeferson. My family attends a Christian church called “Ebenezer”.

We live in a rented house which we share with other renters. There are three rooms but we only use two of them, and we cook in there. There are running water and electricity services.  The houseis made of block, tin sheet roof and concrete floor. My father pays Q 1000.00 quetzals ($135.00) per month for it and all services. Our main needs are groceries and shoes. It takes me about 30 minutes from my house to the feeding program. I say goodbye for now hoping to hear from you soon. 

Many blessings,

Araceli Esmeralda Garcia Gonzalez

Translated by: Lucia Gravez