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.

Hello, I feel so happy to have the opportunity to greet you. This is Eliam Damian Lopez Perez. I was born on October 22, 2020. I am 4 years old. I did not attend school yet. I enjoy spending time playing soccer, painting and watching TV. My favorite animal is the dog and I love red. I like to eat pizza, fried chicken and French fries. I am in good health and so is my family. My father is Rudy Estuardo Lopez Gomez and my mother is Lesly Anayansy Perez Lemus. He struggles to support our family by working as a mechanic while my mother works for hours by driving a moto-taxi. I have two brothers, but they are not part of the feeding program. We do not attend church.

We live in a rented house made of block, concrete roof and floor. There are three rooms and a separate kitchen, and it has running water and electricity. My parents pay for rent including services Q. 1000.00 quetzals ($ 134.00) monthly. Our greatest needs are clothes and groceries. It takes me about 15 minutes walking to get to the feeding program. I say goodbye for now and I hope to hear from you soon.

Your very truly!

Eliam Damian Lopez Perez

Translated by: Lucia Gravez/AAC Secretary