Our mission is to walk hand-in-hand with people in garbage dump communities, along with those with a calling to help, to break the chains of poverty and to improve our lives together. International Samaritan is an international nonprofit dedicated to raising the standard of living in garbage dump communities. For 25 years, we have worked to change the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world through a unique blend of hands-on service and advocacy work. International Samaritan was founded in 1994 by Father Don Vettese, S.J. On a school trip to Guatemala, Father Vettese’s group was diverted from their route due to traffic and drove through the garbage dump community instead. Father Vettese was horrified by what he saw and pledged to do something about it. That chance encounter led to the creation of International Samaritan. All these years later, International Samaritan has grown beyond Guatemala, and our mission is carried out by people across many nations and faiths. International Samaritan serves the poor in eight communities and seven countries, including Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. We gained consultative status with the United Nations in 2011. Our United States office is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. We follow Christ by walking and working with all people.
External link for International Samaritan
803 N. Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104, US
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Physical exercises are part of the mental wellness programs that we cherish. Our scholars had a chance to visit and interact with gym equipment during our trip to Kenyatta University. #LearnServeGrow #impactinglives
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📚 At Samaritan , we believe in the power of reading and the importance of cultivating this habit from an early age! That's why, every Saturday morning, our youngest scholars gather to dive into the magical world of storybooks. A huge shoutout to our amazing volunteer, Sindu, who dedicates her time and passion to inspiring these little readers! 🌟💖 #ReadingIsFun #FutureLeaders #Samaritan #InternationalSamaritan
There are always activities for families at the Buen Samaritano (Good Samaritan) Family Life Center, located near the city garbage dump in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Recently, some of our older Samaritan Scholars put on a vacation Bible school for the younger scholars and children in the community! "There was a lot of learning and a few days of fun," said Ronia Romero, our regional director in Central America. "At the end, they enjoyed a bonfire."
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As part of our personal development programs, we launched Bible study sessions for the parents. We are grateful for the steady growth witnessed in their lives. Our previous session discussed the biblical view of goal setting and planning as we look into the year. #LearnServeGrow #stopandchangealife #StepbyStepPrograms
Congrats, Kalou! Our team in Jamaica recently gathered with Samaritan Scholars and their parents to reflect on last year and talk about upcoming opportunities. "A special moment from the meeting was recognizing Kalou, a Grade 11 scholar, who was recently awarded a Badge of Excellence at his school," said Program Director Sonja Robinson. "It's a testament to the dedication and hard work we strive to foster in all our scholars."
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Looking forward to a new partnership with Mentors International to help International Samaritan scholars here in #Guatemala the way they are already doing in #Honduras! Way to go Yolanda Chacaj and Ronia Romero!
Many of our Samaritan Scholars and their families in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, are learning how to become entrepreneurs! Our team is partnering with Mentors International to provide business training. "This is the beginning of something big!" said our Program Director Erika Cuevas, mentioning that for most of these families, their main source of income has been the nearby landfill. Now, they have some other options! Some of their proposed business ventures include selling food and groceries, selling used clothing and shoes, sewing services, and pig farming. Some of our Samaritan Scholars have graduated with skills in graphic design and barbering and plan to start businesses as well.
"Seeking a better future for themselves and especially for their families, a group of women in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, have started selling food and pastries," said Ronia Romero, our Regional Director in Central America. The families in this community have long relied on the nearby garbage dump to provide income from recyclables. But now, they're finding new sources of income away from the toxic landfill. "One of my greatest satisfactions is seeing how these women want to break the chains of poverty in their community," Romero said.
In the communities where we work around the world, most of the adults couldn't attend school after sixth grade. And yet our Samaritan Scholars are not only continuing their education but picking out careers! Our team in Jamaica hosted their first career fair a few months ago. We're excited to see what our scholars will accomplish!
How do we break the chains of poverty? Educational scholarships are a highly effective way. Our president talks about two more pathways on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gfNDCm48.