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 am glad to greet you in the name of Jesus and be able to tell you a little about me. This is Jose Carlos Bran Enriquez. I was born on May 9, 2017. I am 8 years old. I attend school in 1^st grade at school. I enjoy playing soccer, memory games and drawing. My favorite colors are red and blue. I love cats. I like to eat spaghetti with tomato sauce. Let me know you about my family: I live only with my mother because my father has a new family and we do not know anything about him. My mother is Sandra Selena Enriquez Ramirez, and she struggles to support our family by working as waitress in a place called Huehuetenango, and it is far from our house. She comes to visit us every three months when she can and she sends us a monthly support. My brother and I are under my grandmother’s care, and she is Sandra Ramirez. She covers our expenses with the money that my mother sends. We do not attend any church.

I live in my grandmother's own house which is made of block walls and roof, concrete floor and it has running water and electricity. There are two rooms and a separate kitchen. My grandmother and uncle pay for the services. We have a dog as a pet. Our greatest needs are groceries, shoes and school supplies. I walk about 30 minutes to get to the feeding program. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. 

Hugs and kisses,

Jose Carlos Bran Enriquez

Translated by: Lucia Gravez/AAC Secretary