What’s Happening
Stay up on all the latest happenings at Common Hope, and in Guatemala. This is your source for the heartwarming stories of perseverance, inspiring moments of success and so much more. It’s all right here, and it’s your window into the day-to-day of Common Hope and the families we touch.
Maricruz, Common Hope graduate and successful female entrepreneur
In Guatemala, less than 20% of the population graduates from high school. For girls the rate is even lower. Social pressures dictate that young women are supposed to stay at home with their mothers and help tend to the [...]
Meet Mario, Common Hope’s Mechanic and Driver Extraordinaire
Mario, 23, started working for Common Hope | Familias de Esperanza in February 2018, but he has been familiar with the organization for much longer. Mario first came to the Family Development Center in Antigua more than ten years [...]
Día de Todos los Santos
Every 1st of November, Guatemalans celebrate Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) also called Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in some parts of Latin America. Día de Todos los Santos is a very special [...]
Target Volunteer Day at Nueva Esperanza
We love our Common Hope partners. What a FUN day! Our partners from Target Guatemala visited the New Hope School to spend a day with the preschool students. The students were very excited and the whole school gathered to [...]
Baking for Marina
By Retta Laumann and Yael Cohen When we were thirteen and tasked with choosing a service project for our Bat Mitzvah project, we were inspired by Retta’s adopted Guatemalan brother to sponsor a child from a similar background. While [...]
The final step to graduation
Graduation in Guatemala is nearing. At the beginning of November, over 160 Common Hope students will graduate from high school – an exciting and emotional event. Reaching this goal requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Before they [...]
Sadie and Iliana, two girls a world apart, with lots in common
Sadie, an 11-year-old at Minnewashta Elementary, won an award for community work at her school. That award included prize money. Instead of buying something for herself, Sadie decided she wanted to make a difference. That decision led her on [...]
Minnetonka High School IB/IS students donate Spanish novels for teens in Guatemala
In March, students from the Minnetonka High School International Baccalaureate (IB/IS) program raised money for Spanish books, specifically Spanish novels for teenagers. At their IB/IS Global Gathering and Giving Event, they raised more than $250! The students also made [...]
The Legend of the Guatemalan Worry Doll
Worry dolls (also called trouble dolls; in Spanish, Muñeca quitapena) are small, hand-made dolls that originate from Guatemala. According to legend, Guatemalan children tell their worries to the Worry Dolls, placing them under their pillow when they go to [...]
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