One of the most beautiful silver linings of the past year and all of its challenges is the beautiful and flourishing relationship between JUNTOS and Fundación Salvación. Since 1996, Fundación Salvación has worked as a non-profit organization that focuses on the most vulnerable parts of the community in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. This organization is committed to the protection, restoration, and transformation of vulnerable children and adolescents in their community. They continue to develop programs to meet the growing needs of our community. Their programs include running a children’s home and emergency housing, family support and entrepreneurship programs, as well as a scholarship program.
Since November of 2020, we have held 25 dance workshops with the students at Fundación Salvación over Zoom and we can’t wait for the next time we can experience these workshops with them in person. This #GivingTuesday, November 30th, 2021 aid JUNTOS in moving outside of the Zoom box with more organizations like Fundación Salvación.
You can move outside of the box with JUNTOS and support JUNTOS Community Alliances through arts education and dance performances and create a ripple effect for our Dance Volunteers by supporting intercultural exchange through dance, facilitating leadership development, creating cultural awareness, and supporting the professional development of future international leaders.
”"The physical activity helped to establish a healthy body, but also a healthy mind through dance. The experience with JUNTOS developed confidence, group skills, and self-expression for the students of Fundación Salvación. To see them watch, learn, and dance together was wonderful, all through a Zoom call!"
Jhonatan HernándezProgram Director at Fundación Salvación
More about Fundación Salvación
Originally called Proyecto Girasol, Fundación Salvación was a program for people struggling with substance abuse, acting as a place where they could stay for rehabilitation. When the previous director left, participants were forced to return home, relying solely on once-weekly outpatient support. Unfortunately, the program participants would do well in meetings but would return to their same habits at home as they required constant supervision and access to support in order to make real progress in their rehabilitation.
In response to this, Sandra Juárez de Témaj and her husband, César Témaj, rented a house where people had a safe place to go to navigate and complete their rehabilitation. Since the program was requested by and made for its participants, Sandra let them choose the project’s name. The name they decided on was Proyecto Salvación.
As the program grew, Sandra and César relocated to a public works warehouse provided by the government under the condition that the space also be used to house children of the state. Unfortunately, as both programs expanded, Sandra and Cesar were forced to close the house for the struggling with addiction in order to continue their work with the children of Proyecto Salvación. In order to safely house these children full-time, Sandra and César needed to do a lot of reconstruction, and the community suggested formalizing Proyecto Salvación as a foundation to aid in applying for support.
Now known as Fundación Salvación, this foundation has been driven by its goal of providing a safe and secure home for up to 60 previously at-risk boys and girls. They aim to offer a nurturing and safe home with a family that encourages growth and development. Their work helps motivate youth to become uplifting members of their communities, by providing them with the tools, education, and opportunities that they need to flourish and forge their own path to success.
The incredible team at Fundación Salvación is committed to the protection, restoration, and transformation of vulnerable children and teens in the community. They hope to promote a better quality of life for the at-risk people and vulnerable communities in Huehuetenango through the use of inclusive programming and educational projects and training that positively contribute to familial and social development.
Program Director Jhonatan Hernández
”"Working with Jhonatan has been an absolute joy. He always leads with positivity and gratitude, and has helped us to make our virtual workshops with the students such a shining success. He helps to ensure that all of the children at Fundación Salvación feel capable and confident, and our collaborations have brought so many smiles to everyone involved.“
Cristiana CavalloJUNTOS Director of Programs + Finance
Florangel Témaj is the director of Fundación Salvación, having inherited it from its founders, her mother Sandra Juárez de Téma, and her father César Témaj. Having grown up in an environment of social assistance, this had a great impact on her life. This is how she also discovered her passion for art, using leftover materials to raise funds.
Since 2010 she has participated in group and solo exhibitions in Guatemala and the United States, all with the approach of experimental art, representing social issues and personal expression.
Currently, she divides her two great passions, in the morning she works on her art by teaching classes and in the afternoons she is the director of the organization, which she does not consider to be work, as she considers it to be her home.
As a leader at Fundación Salvación, Jhonatan Hernández has been integral in our ability to connect with the children through JUNTOSVirtual.
He approached Fundación Salvación as a volunteer, in order to achieve his goals of helping, protecting and showing solidarity with vulnerable families, and children and adolescents at risk.
His career path has been full. He is a teacher at the elementary school level who loves his profession and the general teaching and learning process. He also offers free psychological care, and has led numerous community aid projects.
After a life of doing good on his own, he found “the shoulder, the cane and the crutches” in his new family, Fundación Salvación. Now, he is committed to think and live only for others.
”"With the support of Jhonatan, we started working with Fundación Salvación, thanks to our collaborator Christian Barrios. When the pandemic began and we switched to the virtual format, Christian had been searching for organizations in Huehuetenango, when he found Fundación Salvación, an organization with an incredible mission and community impact that had the same love and positive attitude towards dancing that JUNTOS has."
Sussan HrozekInternational Program Director
Learn more about Fundación Salvación with JUNTOSTalks!
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JUNTOSTalks is our monthly conversation with prominent figures from our global community to share their experiences. Join us as we listen to their stories, learn how they are uplifting and empowering their community, and see why their work inspires us. We invite you to participate in these intimate conversations by contributing your own questions, which you can email us ahead of time or enter into the live chat during the talk.
Join JUNTOS on YouTube Live this Saturday, November 20th at 7pm EST as we connect with Jhonatan Hernández and Florangel Témaj, two inspirational leaders from our international Community Alliance, Fundación Salvación.