Our Story

"In 2004, Judith Bank and Marcel Van der Geest were volunteering at EDELAC primary school in Las Rosas, Quetzaltenango. As they got to know the children and families, they saw the challenges many faced beyond the classroom. One family moved them deeply: a mother raising nine children in severe poverty. Seeing that the children needed more than what could be offered during school hours, they rented a small building and opened an afternoon program for just four children. What started very small was built around a simple idea: children needed somewhere to go where they would be safe, cared for, and able to have their basic needs met. That small beginning became Caras Alegres. More than twenty years later, Caras Alegres accompanies around 80 children, 30 young people, and their families through nutrition, education, personal development, women's empowerment, and emotional support. The story began with four children. It continues with the belief that when you see a need and choose to care, something lasting can grow."