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.

Hello! I am glad to share my story with you. I hope you find it engaging. My full name is Jaqueline Adriana Nato Ejcalon, and I was born on October 22, 2012. Fortunately, I am a healthy girl. I am 12 years old and attend school as a sixth grader. I like studying and do my best to get good results at school. By God’s grace, I was the flag bearer, and I was in a place of honor for two years. My favorite color is purple. I enjoy painting, watching TV, and riding my skateboard alongside my young sister. I have one brother and one sister. My favorite animals are cats. I love eating breaded perulero (a vegetable traditionally cultivated in Guatemala, it is similar to the chayote, although its color is quite different).

I am glad because my family is doing well. My father’s name is Martin Nato Grijalva. He works hard in his modest business to cover all our needs, like food or medicine, when we get sick. He has a stationery store near the market. My mother’s name is Eva Carolina Ejcalon Boch. She is a great housewife and takes care of our family. As for our spiritual life, we attend a Christian Church called King of the Centuries. We live in our own house. It is made of adobe with a metal sheet roof and a ceramic floor. It has two rooms, a separate kitchen, electricity, and running water. We live close to the feeding program. My siblings and I usually walk for five minutes to get there. See you later!

Kisses and hugs,

Jaqueline Adriana Nato Ejcalon

Translated by: Hillary Popol, AAC Secretary / Antigua Guatemala