Help Mexican Children In Need (UPDATE)

My name is Diego Niiler. I’m 16 years old and a rising junior at Bethesda- Chevy Chase High School. I’m fundraising to help a group of boys in Mexico who have been separated from their parents by the state. This summer, I spent a week volunteering at the Albergue Infantil Esperanza (which roughly translates as the Hope Children's Shelter) in Tapachula, Chiapas - the southernmost state in Mexico.

This coming school year, the boys need new uniforms and school supplies. Every dollar you donate will go directly to pencils, journals, erasers, backpacks, crayons and play-doh. The money will also go to purchasing bookshelves, creating a library, and hiring tutors. For example, one sixth-grader showed great promise in math but didn't know how to read. Although the children attend school, they don’t have the money to buy books or dictionaries. Even though they have a computer room with five PCs, they don’t have a printer.

The boys’ shelter houses youth from seven to 15 years old whose parents are either in jail, experience substance abuse, or are unfit to parent and can’t provide a safe home environment. One of the boys lost an eye after being beaten by his father. For others, the emotional abuse is shown in their frustration or low self-esteem. But it’s not all sad. I also saw a strong, loving bond between the kids and the nuns. They laughed and showed joy, especially when we made figurines with play-doh, worked on origami, or kicked the soccer ball in the courtyard. I saw the kids' curiosity and desire to learn and achieve. They made me realize the strength of their spirit despite their circumstances.

Some boys show promise in their studies. For example, one boy proudly told me that for the first time this school year, he had scored perfect 10s and an 8 in his final exams. Other boys struggle, like a 10-year-old who often says, “I’m not good at anything.” Another boy was initially reluctant to join my English lesson, but he came around, joined the group and surprised himself by realizing how much he enjoyed it.

The shelter is run by the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Refuge, a church-affiliated charitable organization founded in Guadalajara, Mexico. The shelter began as a co-ed facility in Tapachula almost two decades ago. Four years ago, boys and girls were separated. The boys' home was built with government funds but now operates on private donations and income from the nuns who run a small business selling homemade tamales, cookies and empanadas. I started this GoFundMe to help these kids. Thank you for considering a donation. Any amount will make a difference in these children's lives.