OUR OBJECTIVES

1) General Education:
Because most of our boys and girls have often been very neglected in their past, they need support and advice in every aspect of lifet. Almost all of them learn the basics of hygiene and courtesy upon entering the home. They are taught to take a shower, change clothes, brush their teeth, listen to adults – all this cannot be taken for granted and needs practicing and supervising.

2) Social Integration:
EL REFUGIO is not meant to be an island. Family members are encouraged to maintain contact with their children at EL REFUGIO. Additionally, the staff and volunteers at the home are part of a very special family with specific functions for each member.

Elementary students interact with students from the village and go to an evangelical church regularly. High School students travel to the near city of Choloma every day for class. Moreover, there are a great number of groups visiting the home regularly. Last but not least our older children work with village children at our workshops.

3) Getting ready to be independent:
At age 18, children should be able to live independently. This means they need to have at least graduated from elementary school and learned the basics of a trade in one of our workshops.

This education plus a little money to get started enables children to leave the home, find a job and a place to stay so they can live on their on. However, due to the fact that many children start school several years later that normal, the may graduate at a older age than normally expected. Therefore, there is no specific age to leave the home. What matters is that the children can be successful in society.