The Esperanza Home for Children was started over 30 years ago and now provides a home to 75-100 children aged 2 weeks – 18 years old.
The children arrive at Esperanza by judge order having survived significant abuse and neglect. The children are cared for by a group of missionary sisters (similar to Mother Teresa’s nuns) that have dedicated their lives to creating a safe and loving environment for these children. The children are provided daily meals, clothing, medical attention, enrollment in school, or specialized education. There is also an on-site team of psychologists and social workers. But the most important factor to the children’s psychological rehabilitation is the love and care given to them by the missionary sisters.
Mission Santa Maria has partnered with Esperanza to cover the cost of education (school fees, school supplies, and school uniforms) for every child living at the home. Sometimes, children arrive at the home having never attended school in the past. To support the education of these children we provide tutors for homeschooling until the children are caught up and can enter Santa Maria Del Fiat School.
Mission Santa Maria also supports special projects such as safe drinking water, hot water systems for bathing, and washing machines to ease the burden of laundry (for 75-100 children!). Mission Santa Maria maintains an emergency food fund to ensure that the children always have something to eat. When necessary, we have also undertaken larger scale projects such as the construction of new bathrooms for the boys or safety updates in the kitchen.
2022 Updates and Accomplishments
In 2022, Mission Santa Maria provided school tuition, uniforms and school supplies for 87 children at the home. Mission Santa Maria employed five staff members to assist with meeting the unique educational and psychological needs of the children. The staff members lead homeschooling for children with a history of educational neglect, after school tutoring for all the children, and help with laundry and cleaning in the homes where the children live.
In 2022, Mission Santa Maria enrolled the children in ballet and soccer classes. This was the first time the children were enrolled in extracurricular activities outside of the home. The children have fun, practice an array of developmental skills, are better focused in school, and their caregivers get a short break when they attend these classes.