ABOUT US - From Fatima Children's Home Directors
Our Mission Protect children whose rights have been violated, provide them with shelter and a family environment. |
Our Vision Redefine shelters to go beyond providing material support by hiring professionals who help our children learn social skills, continue their education and regain their confidence. |
Our Values Respect Service Responsibility Humility |
Hogar de Niños Fátima (Fátima’s Children’s Home) was founded in 2002 and for over fifteen years we have provided a home to some of Guatemala’s most vulnerable infants and children. The children in our care have been abused or abandoned or are victims of family disintegration. Our primary mission is to provide our children with love and support in a family setting. We provide shelter, health care, education, nutrition, legal assistance, and psychological support to the children in our care.
Where the children come from
Children between the ages of 0 and 7 who cannot safely remain in their homes or who do not have homes are referred to our Home by the Family Court, the National Adoption Counsel, and the Guatemalan National Prosecutor’s Office. After a child is placed in our Home, that child remains in our care while the Family Court works to resolve the child’s legal situation. Most children are reunified with their parents or other family members. If no suitable family member is found, the child is declared eligible for adoption.
We are not a part of the adoption process, nor do we decide when the biological family is ready to receive their children. Our goal is to ensure that whenever the children leave our Home, whether it is after a few weeks, months, or even years, they are well-prepared for whatever future awaits them.
Our Home
We have space for 45 children and although we only accept new placements up to the age of 7, if a child has already been placed with us and continues to need a place to live, they remain part of our family until the court or the child decides to leave. Our home is built and staffed to provide children of all ages with high levels of specialized care and attention. Many of the children we receive are malnourished and have suffered physical abuse and psychological trauma. We provide all our children with basic necessities, pediatric care, psychological support, and the love of a family.
Financial support
We do not receive any support from the government and are funded entirely through donations by corporations and individuals, fundraisers, and our sponsorship program. We welcome visitors to come and learn about our project and meet our children. We also welcome both short and long term volunteers.
If you would like to learn more about our home, send a donation, or sign up for one of our sponsoring projects, please contact us at:
Phone: 011 (502) 2331-6382 Facebook: /Hogar de niños Fátima
Email: [email protected] Website: Fatima.org.gt
Address: 0 Calle 20-62, Zona 15 Vista Hermosa II, Guatemala City
Local contacts in US include Guatemala Aid Fund: www.guatemalaaidfund.org
Where the children come from
Children between the ages of 0 and 7 who cannot safely remain in their homes or who do not have homes are referred to our Home by the Family Court, the National Adoption Counsel, and the Guatemalan National Prosecutor’s Office. After a child is placed in our Home, that child remains in our care while the Family Court works to resolve the child’s legal situation. Most children are reunified with their parents or other family members. If no suitable family member is found, the child is declared eligible for adoption.
We are not a part of the adoption process, nor do we decide when the biological family is ready to receive their children. Our goal is to ensure that whenever the children leave our Home, whether it is after a few weeks, months, or even years, they are well-prepared for whatever future awaits them.
Our Home
We have space for 45 children and although we only accept new placements up to the age of 7, if a child has already been placed with us and continues to need a place to live, they remain part of our family until the court or the child decides to leave. Our home is built and staffed to provide children of all ages with high levels of specialized care and attention. Many of the children we receive are malnourished and have suffered physical abuse and psychological trauma. We provide all our children with basic necessities, pediatric care, psychological support, and the love of a family.
Financial support
We do not receive any support from the government and are funded entirely through donations by corporations and individuals, fundraisers, and our sponsorship program. We welcome visitors to come and learn about our project and meet our children. We also welcome both short and long term volunteers.
If you would like to learn more about our home, send a donation, or sign up for one of our sponsoring projects, please contact us at:
Phone: 011 (502) 2331-6382 Facebook: /Hogar de niños Fátima
Email: [email protected] Website: Fatima.org.gt
Address: 0 Calle 20-62, Zona 15 Vista Hermosa II, Guatemala City
Local contacts in US include Guatemala Aid Fund: www.guatemalaaidfund.org
Hogar de Ninos Fatima Pedro, Maria, Barbara, Veronica and Rosa Maria
The Fatima Children's Home was started by Barbara Cofino, a lawyer and long time child protection advocate in Guatemala. Currently her son, Pedro de Leon left his job as a full time lawyer to run Fatima's as well as starting their family and community outreach programs under their newly formed "Association to Eradicate Poverty
Pedro's wife Laura is our GAF Liason and in-country visitor/volunteer and eco-tourism trip coordinator. We are in constant communication and updated on how our donations are being put to amazing good use! The Fatima Children's home staff work tirelessly to get the best possible situations for each child in their care. This small, but very clean and loving home is a place where children are provided education, love and support in a very family oriented environment. This is NOT an institution in any way. Fatima voluntarily moved to a smaller house in a nicer neighborhood with good schools so they could give the children the best opportunities for learning, and hopefully moving on to more education and a fulfilling self sufficient life. Typically, when children age out of "orphanage care", there is limited, if any opportunity for continued education or job training. Fatima has a hope to build a home-school that is accessible to orphaned children and women in need of this continuous care outside of the City as well. They hope to get enough funding to purchase land, and open a private school where the tuition from the day students would support the school and orphan status children could work at the school and attend for a tuition waiver. Lack of education is an incredible hurdle for these kids. We hope to raise awareness of the difficulty for children growing up in orphanages to move on to productive lives and out of poverty...because of their lack of access to school. We hope to provide support to Fatima, and to reach out in a wider effort to find supporters for their current home and their home-school project outside of the City.. The children at Fatima Childrens home are so well cared for with many services such as physical therapy, education and medical attention, nutritious foods, as well as a chance to help out, contribute in their home and communities and grow up and stay in their home. Fatima is always in need of funds to continue their efforts and invest in programs and operations that may become self sustaining. Funding is needed for solar panels, water recycling systems, farming and sewing supplies and funds for skill training. Come Visit! |
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