The Boys Home
El Hogar de Niños (Boys Home) or as it is affectionately known by all workers, volunteers and the boys La Granja (The Farm) is our Home where about 20 boys from 5 to 18 years old reside as well as about 10 men with disabilities.
It is located in the agricultural outskirts of Comayagua, around 15 minutes away from town and 5 minutes away from Palmerola Airport.
The Girls Home
At El Hogar de Niñas(the Girls home) resides currently about 25 girls aged 5-18 and is also where the baby area is located. This Home is located close to the center of Comayagua and is also where the main administrative offices, Bakery, and Abuelo Jerry School(special needs education) are located.
All of Hogar Nazareth’s children come to us via the Honduras Directorate of Children, Adolescents and Family (DINAF), which is equivalent to Child Protective Services in the USA. Before coming to Hogar Nazareth, many of the children first go to a short-term transitional home as DINAF assesses each child’s options. If no other options exist, DINAF will contact us about welcoming another child. Typically, Hogar Nazareth children are here because they have experienced physical abuse, severe neglect, the loss of their parents and have no other family, or were simply abandoned.
Facilities
Hogar Nazareth provides a safe home that meets the basic needs of the children. The children live in dormitory style housing, most often sharing rooms with individual beds, chairs and dressers. Each of the homes has a contracted security guard and the premises are surrounded with tall walls and security fencing to ensure safety. No space at Hogar Nazareth goes unused. Given the size of Hogar Nazareth, facility costs currently account for nearly 20% of our annual expenses. Because we do not receive any government funding, all expenses are paid for by generous donations. Our hope is to increase donations and reduce the percentage having to be spent on facilities, which are a critical, but non-formation expense.
Activities
When not in school, the children enjoy many activities including volleyball, soccer, hiking, art, watching movies ….. Several times throughout the year, we also take short trips to introduce the children to new activities or simply let them have a good time being a kid at the local water park.