HOW A TEACHER IS RESCUING STREET KIDS AND HIS QUEST TO END CHILD SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN VIETNAM

Michael Brosowski, Founder of Blue Dragon Children's Foundation Michael Brosowski, an Australian teacher, arrived in Vietnam in 2002 to work at Hanoi's National University.  He never imagined who he'd begin teaching during his free time: shoeshining boys. Shortly after, he established the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation to help street kids, children with disabilities, children from rural families living in extreme poverty, and victims of human trafficking and slavery. Their aim is to rescue kids from danger, reunite them with their families when they can, and provide all the services needed for recovery and growth. Michael Brosowski is a CNN Hero and has been awarded the UNICEF Zero Award and a Member of the Order of Australia for his impact in Vietnam. They have transformed the lives of more than 68,000 children in Vietnam. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 [...]

By | August 1st, 2016|

How Anne Hallum and AIR planted 4.2 million trees in Central America

Anne Hallum, Founder of Alliance for International Reforestation CNN Hero Anne Hallum was a political science professor at Stetson University in Florida when she was asked to take a group of students on a volunteer trip to Guatemala. It was 1991 and she was going through a difficult personal time of loneliness and loss. The trip to Guatemala was her first time out of the country--and that trip changed everything for Anne. The hunger, malnutrition, and barren mountainsides haunted Anne. The trip inspired her to start the Alliance for International Reforestation (AIR). Anne and AIR worked tirelessly for the last two decades to improve human and environmental health in Guatemala. They have planted more than 4.2 million trees throughout Central America. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.” Show Notes for Anne Hallum [...]

By | July 29th, 2016|

HOW JACKSON KAGURI BUILT UP THE NYAKA AIDS ORPHANS PROJECT IN HIS UGANDAN VILLAGE

Twesigye Jackson Kaguri, Founder of Nyaka AIDS Orphan Project Twesigye Jackson Kaguri is a CNN Hero and the founder of the Nyaka AIDS Orphan Project in Uganda. He is the author of A School For My Village: A Promise to the Orphans of Nyaka. Jackson Kaguri grew up without running water, electricity, or a hospital in his village in rural Uganda. He had to grow his own food and sleep on beds made out of banana leaves. Up against all odds, he earned the opportunity to study at Columbia University.  He returned to his home village years later and was overwhelmed by the plight of AIDS orphans. It was then that Jackson dreamt of the vision to build a school for AIDS orphans in his village in Uganda. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing [...]

By | July 27th, 2016|

HOW SAM VAGHAR BUILT THE MILLENNIUM CAMPUS CONFERENCE

                      Sam Vaghar, Millennium Campus Network & Conference Sam Vaghar is the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Millennium Campus Network. He is often referred to as "a Man with a Plan." His organization hosts the Millennium Campus Conference each summer, gathering together thousands of youth activists from the world. I've known Sam for many years, and Students Helping Honduras co-hosted MCC 2015 at the UN Headquarters in New York City. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.” Show Notes for Sam Vaghar What Sam Vaghar was like growing up Sam's first real date in high school The two books that Sam read in college that changed his life The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs Why Sam reads the acknowledgments section [...]

By | July 25th, 2016|

CLEARING 5 MILLION LANDMINES IN CAMBODIA WITH BILL MORSE

 Bill Morse, Founder of Landmine Relief Fund   Bill Morse is the founder of the Landmine Relief Fund (LRF). It’s an NGO that was created in 2003 to support a group of Cambodians who are dedicated to clearing landmines throughout their country. Bill works closely with former child soldier and CNN Hero, Aki Ra.   These guys have built 19 schools and de-mined 2 million and 900,000 square meters of land in Cambodia so far. They’ve educated tens of thousands of visitors about the issue in their Cambodian Landmine Museum. But With potentially 5 million more landmines still in the ground, they continue this dangerous work every day. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.” Show Notes for Bill Morse Siam Reap, Cambodia Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Bill’s favorite Cambodia food Angkor Wat Park What [...]

By | July 19th, 2016|

HOW ULTRA-LOW-COST PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE CHANGING THE WORLD WITH DR. JAMES TOOLEY

 James Tooley, author of The Beautiful Tree   Dr. James Tooley spent many years in the slums and rural villages of India, China, and Africa asking one question: Can education be run as a profitable business and still be driven by a humanitarian vision?   Whereas development experts insist that the path out of poverty lies in investment in public schools, Dr. James Tooley draws on his fieldwork to argue that small entrepreneurs and ultra-low-cost private schools are educating the poor.   He is the author of the bestselling book, The Beautiful Tree: a personal journey into how the world’s poorest people are educating themselves. He is a professor of education policy and the co-founder of OMEGA Schools, a chain of 38 low cost private schools in Ghana. Listen to it on iTunes, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and [...]

By | July 19th, 2016|

RESCUING TRAFFICKED CHILDREN IN NEPAL WITH NYT BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, CONOR GRENNAN

 Conor Grennan, Founder of Next Generation Nepal   Conor Grennan left his day job in 2004 at age 29 to travel the world. At the beginning of his journey, he spent three months volunteering at a children’s home in war-torn Nepal. It was there that he discovered a harrowing truth about these children. Shortly after, he founded Next Generation Nepal, an NGO that's addressing the exact challenge he uncovered.   He’s the New York Times Best Selling Author of The Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal, the memoir that chronicles his amazing journey.   Listen to it here, and hit the subscribe button to download future episodes automatically. Listen to it on iTunes. Stream by clicking here. Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as.” Show Notes for Conor Grennan Conor Grenna's reaction at the moment of the the 2015 earthquake in Nepal Orphanage [...]

By | July 11th, 2016|

School uniforms picked!

The uniform colors for the bilingual school have been picked!! Special thanks to Nic Martino, Evelis Rivera and the MVHS students who donated to cover the cost of some of these uniforms for the kids. Can't wait for the first group of teachers to arrive later this summer..

By | May 25th, 2012|

How To Do A Visa Renewal Trip to Guatemala: A Step-by-Step Guide

  I always try to get to San Pedro Sula by 6 or 7am so that I can get to my final destination before nightfall. From anywhere in San Pedro Sula, take a taxi to get to the bus station with the buses that go to Puerto Cortes. After an hour or two, you'll be arriving in the port city of Puerto Cortes -- this bus ride should cost you around $2. From here, ask for the bus station in town with the buses that go to the "frontera". It's a few blocks away from the center of the city so you can walk there or take a taxi. After another hour or two, you should be arriving at the Honduras-Guatemala border -- this bus ride should cost you around $2. At the border, you'll go through a police checkpoint where you'll need to present your passport. The police officers there carry [...]

By | May 18th, 2012|

First Game, First Victory!

Our U-10 Villa Soleada F.C. Boys Team (Villa kids and children's home kids united) played a game against another team at the cage soccer field today. We won and more importantly, we didn't have any fist fights or brawls -- a miracle!! Abelito must have scored 5 goals at least.  All the training with Coach Wilson and Coach Tono are paying off maybe...? If you would like to support our soccer program, we accept all kinds of used soccer equipment (jerseys, cleats, pinnies, cones, balls, Etc)!

By | May 12th, 2012|