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 am glad to greet you in the name of Jesus and be able to tell you a little about me. I am Jose Miguel Ramirez Suret. I was born on August 3, 2017. I am now 7 years old. I am a healthy boy and I am a first-grade student. In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, toy cars, painting and watching TV. My favorite color is red. I love the parrot. A delicious dish for me is Chow-Mein with broccoli. About my family: my father is Jose Angel Maria Ramirez Vasquez, and he earns a living working as a merchant selling clothes. My mother is Ana Maria Suret Ortiz, and she also works as a merchant but she sells underwear, fruit and jellies. I have two brothers. Thanks to God, we are fine. My family attends a Pentecostal Church.

We live in our grandmother´s house, and it is made of block, concrete roof and floor, with running water and electricity. There are seven rooms and a separate kitchen but we only use two of them because we share the house with my grandmother and aunts. My mother and relatives pay the services. I have a parrot and two dogs at home. I walk about 20 minutes from home to the feeding program. I say goodbye for now and I hope to hear from you soon.

Warms regards,

Jose Miguel Ramirez Suret.

Translated by: Lucia Gravez