Toronto, Canada - The chance for a bright and determined young Honduran girl to continue her education in Canada has finally been realized. 

Luz Mila Castro Velasquez, one of the first graduates of our partner organization, Helping Honduras Kids', 'Jungle School', has travelled to Canada. She is living with a host family just west of Toronto and will be continuing her education with the hopes of someday becoming a teacher and returning to Honduras to "help other kids like me". 

Luz Mila, 16, the oldest of 6 children, graduated from Grade 6 in Honduras in 2009. During the past several years, Luz Mila began her days at 3am helping with early morning chores before she set out on a 2.5 hour hike down a narrow jungle path with her 4 brothers and sisters to attend classes at the Jungle School. Along the way she and younger brother Mey would keep an eye out for the dangers of prowling jaguars until the sun came up and they arrived at school. While at school, she excelled, even completing both grade 5 & 6 in her final year, graduating at the top of her class. 

After she graduated, it was unlikely that she would have the opportunity to continue her studies in Honduras due to logistics and cost. A longtime volunteer and family stepped in and with the assistance of Helping Honduras Kids, they worked with lawyers in both Honduras and Canada over the past year and a half to find a way to bring Luz Mila's dream of furthering her education to life by bringing her to study in Canada. Read More...