Imagine being a young child, orphaned and with no one to turn to. When the police are called to come to your tiny home, they find you – 3 years old – lying next to your deceased mother. Alone. Sacred. Uncertain. The world feels much too unbearable to cope with. That was the reality for a boy until he found hope and a new family at Casa Girasoles.
Despite his challenges, Rodrigo (not his real name) exuded energy and curiosity. He loved playing soccer and exploring the countryside. And thanks to the dedicated staff at Casa Girasoles, he had everything he needed to thrive, from nutritious meals to educational opportunities to secure attachment.
Through their care and support, this young boy flourished. He gained confidence, a sense of belonging, and a dream for his future – to become a doctor and help others just as he had been helped. Although Rodrigo’s road to healing is long and complex, he can finally be hopeful.
The story of Rodrigo’s journey is a testament to the power of love, kindness, and community. Despite facing unimaginable hardships, he found a home and family at Casa Girasoles and could begin to build a brighter future for himself and others.
Thanks to your ongoing impact, the Casa Girasoles homes provide hope and a path to a better life for vulnerable children. Thanks to you, children like Rodrigo are finding access to the lives they deserve.
Day 2 – Commitment: A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. It is a pledge to do something or stay the course. It means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give – without any expectations.
Day 3—Purpose (translated from Spanish): One of the most frequent summer activities at the Casa Girasoles is going to the community pool. The high Andes pool season is from late December until early March. Almost all the children enjoy this time of year. Either splashing in the water or being fascinated by the different activities, the pool offers a distinct break from the routine of the home.
Day 4: Juan (not his real name) had never slept in a bed by himself. For all his six years, he shared a twin mattress with his two brothers and older sister. They lived alone in a single room – without a bathroom or running water.
Day 5, The Power of Love: Juan and José (we will call them this way to keep their identity) were two children living in the highest Urubamba areas. They lived precisely under the sky, under a splendorous sun that illuminated their ancestors, bathed by the rain at dawn, and surrounded by the nature of the fields and rivers of these blessed lands.
Day 6: We talk about resilience a lot in the work of HBI. It is the foundation of our efforts with the boys living in the Casa Girasoles program and everything we do.
Day 7 – Dedication: Building bridges is a big part of HBI’s work. One of the bridges we are proud to establish is an internship program for pre-health profession students to spend up to a year with us in Perú. Today’s 30 Days of Impact story is from Jane Southgate, an intern and research fellow. Thank you, Jane, for your dedication and trust.
30 Days of Impact – Day 8, Compassion: In the Andean villages of Cusco, people express joy through music, dance, colorful clothing, the Quechua language – so sweet and soft – food, and the rich tradition of community support. But there is also extreme poverty, alcoholism, chronic illnesses such as tuberculosis, abuse and family violence, and family abandonment.
Day 9 – Connection: Throughout our almost three decades, we have been mindful of the balancing act of holding to a project plan and allowing ourselves to respond nimbly to the needs of underserved communities and people living in the experience of marginalization. This flexible approach has served our path. It has allowed us to respond compassionately and intentionally and plan for the future. It has allowed us to emphasize connection above everything else we do.
Day 10: When I talked about building a child empowerment framework previously, I highlighted the effectiveness of our Casa Girasoles model. Health Bridges International’s (HBI) models work best with empowered people taking on the program’s adaptation, sustainability, and improvement. However, empowerment work has sobering challenges, requiring flexibility and long-game commitment.
Day 11: As a midwife in Cerro de Pasco, Perú, Catherine’s proudest moments are the minutes after successfully resuscitating newborns. Infant fatalities are a grim reality in the delivery room, but she has saved many newborns and is determined to save more.
Day 12 – Lessons from the Pandemic (translated from Spanish): The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the fragility and precariousness of human existence. It strained our safety nets and laid bare the inadequacies of our health systems. Poverty grew by more than ten percentage points in Perú. This is in a country where nearly 70% of households have to leave their homes daily to find the money to support their families.
Day 13 – Flexibility: We are not a traditional not-for-profit. We pride ourselves on remaining flexible. We are all about working at the intersection of on-the-ground real-world needs and the mechanisms and means of building a model that can be sustained and scaled. Our focus on developing reproducible models means we often implement projects and build models simultaneously. It means we seek to understand all the complexity while balancing partnerships and listening attentively to the needs of the people our work is designed to support directly. It means we must be adept at juggling several different concerns simultaneously.
Day 14 – Bicycles: Today’s 
Day 15 – Continuity of Care: HBI has had the privilege and honor of working in the Alto Cayma, Arequipa, Perú community for over 25 years with Fr. Alex Busuttil and his team.
Day 16 – Belonging: The following story was translated from Spanish. The story was written by an adolescent in the Casa Girasoles in response to the question, “What do you remember most about 2023, and what do you hope for in 2024?” 
Day 17 – Awareness: The story was translated from Spanish and written by HBI’s Child Welfare Specialist, 
Day 18: For many years, HBI ran small wellness clinics in public schools in remote and underserved areas in Perú. The wellness programs aimed to provide screening physical exams to school-aged children. Screening children at greatest risk for family separation and working with local health posts to link children and families to more support. Rarely were things that straightforward.
Day 19 – Collaboration: Our goal was never to create a not-for-profit organization. We resisted the notion of creating an organization because, in many ways, the focus of an organization becomes the organization.
Day 20 – Opportunity: We took a day off but are back with Day 20. The following story comes from HBI’s Medical Director, Dr. Bob Gehringer. Enjoy!
Day 21 – Love: The following story was translated from Spanish. The story comes from a director from one of the Casa Girasoles programs.
Day 22 – Partnership: The following story comes from the Executive Director of 
Day 23 – Perico: The following story was translated from Spanish.
Day 23 – True Self: The following story comes from one of the boys in the Casa Girasoles in response to the question – what did you like most in 2023? This story has been translated from Spanish.
Day 25 – Models: The following update comes from Dr. Stephen DiDonato at Thomas Jefferson University, longtime friend, trusted colleague, and academic partner – 
Day 26 -Local Leadership: In an era marked by global challenges – climate change, disproportionate wealth, and inequality – the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) has become increasingly pivotal.
Day
Day 28 – Walking Alongside: When we started this work, our Health Bridges path, we spent much of our time and efforts “doing for.” We mobilized resources, organized volunteers, and implemented projects. Ours was the mode of action.
Day 29—Amazing People: Every organization needs a person who can keep track of the moving trains, stay focused on the details, and connect to the bigger mission. Most organizations never find such a unicorn.
Day 30 – #BetheBridge: Today is the final post of the 30 Days of Impact. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages and encouragement. We hope you have a very Happy Holiday Season, in whatever manner you celebrate. Thanks for all your support.
