We understand a profound truth: behind every child in our care is a story. Not just any story, but one marked by struggle, challenge, and often trauma. These narratives begin in the difficult spaces and places that millions of children around the world call home. But these stories don’t end there. What we provide in Peru is more than shelter or necessities. We offer sacred ground where children can remake their stories—where they can begin building the lives they truly deserve.

This work transforms not only the children we serve but also us. Each day, with every child, we gain the humility to strip away any notion that our work is about us. The children teach us, with their resilience and courage, that our mission exists solely for them. Our two homes in Peru stand as testimonies to this commitment—spaces where healing happens, where futures begin, where stories take new directions.

While we remain fully committed to the children in our direct care, we recognize a larger calling. The system itself needs transformation. Your generous support enables this dual mission of building futures for individual children and changing an entire system of care.

This comprehensive approach multiplies your impact beyond what you might imagine. Each contribution ripples outward, touching not just one life but potentially reshaping how child welfare functions throughout Peru. We are in this for the long haul. The road ahead may be challenging, but our resolve remains unshaken. We will not give up until every child has access to a life founded on health, a true home, hope for tomorrow, and the opportunity to thrive with dignity and potential.

As supporters of HBI, you understand the heart of our mission. Your commitment has already helped rewrite countless stories. Together, we can ensure that more children find their voices, their strength, and their rightful place in the world. Thank you for standing with us as we continue this journey—one child, one story, one transformed life at a time.

Become an HBI monthly donor and help us build a movement of change. https://givebutter.com/health-bridges-international-inc

There’s a profound truth in the saying, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” Every act of generosity, no matter how small, has the power to spark hope, change lives, and create futures. Nowhere is this more evident than in the story of Raul and Marco.

Raul (11) and Marco (14) are two brothers who currently reside at the HBI Casa Girasoles, a haven for children who have experienced unimaginable hardship. While their names have been changed to protect their privacy, their story is very real. It’s a testament to how even the smallest donations can have profound and life-changing impacts.

Four years ago, Raul and Marco arrived at Casa Girasoles. They came from a remote mountain community in the Apurímac province, where their childhood was a daily struggle for survival. Their mother, a hardworking woman who took on whatever jobs she could find, was unable to provide consistent care for her seven children. She often placed her hope in relationships that promised stability but ultimately failed to deliver anything more than heartbreak. Meanwhile, Raul and Marco were left to fend for themselves, wandering their small community late into the evenings, hungry and forgotten.

When the child protection worker brought them to Casa Girasoles, Raul and Marco were riddled with bug bites, wearing tattered clothes that barely clung to their small frames. Neither spoke Spanish; instead, they communicated in Quechua. They arrived carrying not only the weight of extreme poverty but also the silent scars of neglect and abandonment.

Raul struggled the most at first. Deeply hurt and confused, he expressed his pain through anger. His outbursts were loud cries for help, a reflection of the chaos he had endured. But at Casa Girasoles, he found something he had never experienced before: a team of caregivers who truly cared, who were trained to work with children from traumatic backgrounds. They didn’t just see his anger; they saw the deep pain behind it and met him with empathy, patience, and unwavering support.

Over time, Raul began to open. He learned to express his feelings instead of repressing them. He learned to trust, to love, and to hope. Today, Raul is thriving. He has become a role model for other children at Casa Girasoles, a source of inspiration and leadership.

Marco, his older brother, found solace in music. He discovered a love for the guitar and now plays in church every Sunday. Together, the brothers have not only mastered Spanish but have also excelled academically. They dream of one day owning a business together, a goal born out of their desire to support their mother and siblings back home.

Raul and Marco’s story is one of triumph, but it’s also a story of giving. It’s about the power of donors like you—people who may never meet these boys but who believe in the potential of every child. Your donations helped provide Raul with the opportunity to play on a select soccer team, where he continues to shine as an accomplished player. Your generosity helped Marco discover his passion for music. And it goes beyond soccer and music. Your support has given them stability, education, and most importantly, hope. It has shown them that their lives matter and that they have the power to create a brighter future for themselves.

Raul and Marco are just two of the many children whose lives are being transformed at the Casa Girasoles. But there are so many more children out there—children who are still wandering, still hungry, still waiting for someone to see them and say, “You matter.”

Your giving creates that moment. Whether it’s a few dollars or a larger contribution, every donation helps break the cycle of poverty, neglect, and hopelessness. It helps turn stories of despair into stories of triumph.

Raul and Marco now love pizza, ice cream, and playing marbles with their brothers at the Casa Girasoles. They laugh, they play, and they dream. They are living proof that small acts of kindness can grow into something extraordinary.

Support our Capital Campaign and help us make the necessary improvements to our two homes for formerly abandoned children.