Safe Passage | Camino Seguro

 

Luis Alfredo Batz was born on February 19th, 1988. He lives with his sisters and brothers who are 18, 16, 13, and 11 years old.  When he was only eight years old, his father was hit and killed by a bulldozer at the Guatemala City garbage dump.  Safe Passage founder Hanley Denning asked his mother to come to her project in its earliest days, although at this time Luis, his mother, and his siblings were working tirelessly at the dump, collecting whatever trash they could resell at a profit.  After his mother witnessed twenty children attending Hanley’s program, housed in a small church across from the dump’s entrance, Luis’ eldest sister began attending.  Luis was committed to continue working to help his mother sustain his family.  However, one year later, after many invitations from Hanley, Luis began attending as well.

“On my first day in Hanley’s project, I was very nervous and shy; I didn’t know what I should expect,” Luis says.  “We received bread and cold beans.  The juice was only water with sugar – but we accepted it happily,” he remembers with a smile.  At the end of each day, Hanley would share with the children her ideas and hopes for the future.  “I wondered if these would be possible to reach,” admits Luis.

Before long, he realized that they were no longer a group of twenty children; their number had reached one hundred!  When Luis found out that a new building was under construction for the children of Safe Passage/Camino Seguro, he became very excited.  His excitement doubled when the new building actually opened.

"The happiest moment of my life was, when I came to Camino Seguro/Safe Passage.  As its name says, I feel safe here.”  Luis continues, “In the beginning all my ten friends from the dump were here at the program with me, but today there are just eight of us remaining to study.  Many still become parents too early.”

In the months leading up to his high school graduation, Luis spent the mornings working in Safe Passage’s kitchen as an assistant cook to earn a small living.  In the afternoons, he completed his homework in the library.  On Sundays he attended high school classes and was recognized for his outstanding work.  He’s been described, also, as quite an amazing singer and actor!

With tears in his eyes, he explains, “Hanley was an angel, and if she hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t be here where I am today.  Before, I couldn’t read and write.  [Now,] I love writing and will have my own book someday.”  Most importantly, Luis is relieved that he can now help his family, and they won’t have to work at the garbage dump anymore.

“I’m glad that I have the possibility through Camino Seguro/Safe Passage to start studying journalism next year.”  His dream is to write a book called Nosotros Nos Pobres.  “I like to tell my story and to help others.”  He says that he’ll never forget Hanley‘s words: “Never stop trying.”