Hello, my name is Maricruz. This is my story. I entered the orphanage system at the age of 6, due to parental neglect. I was sent to an orphanage in Trinidad Valley, where I spent most of my childhood. The last years of my stay there were the saddest and most painful stages of my life. I learned my mother died when I was 10 years old and I was a victim of abuse in a place that I considered my home. At 13, I was transferred to a new orphanage in Tijuana where I am from, but for me, it was a new city, with new customs, and new people. At first, I was scared of the drastic change, but it was the best thing that happened to me.
I arrived at “Los Angelitos” orphanage, founded and directed by Edward Thomas Perry, may he rest in peace. He always looked out for my well-being and education. His dream was for me to become an exemplary person, to be responsible, and independent. He wished for me to complete my studies and be happy in whatever I did with my life. He was there for me when I needed him, with the unconditional support of a father to his daughter. Much of what I am today is thanks to him.
I met Corazon de Vida the first month I arrived at “Los Angelitos” orphanage. They cared for our well-being, health, education, and development. I met George Perez (CDV Programs Director), and he welcomed us with open arms as if he had known us all our lives. He told us that we should not be sad, that we were now part of a big family. That Christmas we received more gifts than we could have imagined. I was shocked people somewhere in the world who did not know me had taken the time to send me a gift or a letter wishing me the best for the end of the year.
In my teen years, I helped with administrative tasks at home. At that time, the orphanage did not have help with these duties, so our orphanage director began to teach me little by little what needed to be done each month. I was inspired to study Business Administration at UNIDEP Tijuana Campus. Thanks to CDV, I finished my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Human Talent Management. I will always be grateful for being instilled with a desire to study, learn new things, and grow personally.
" You’ve helped children and adolescents have the opportunity to study and have a better future. I am the result of your generosity."
Currently, I live in Ensenada with my partner. Together, we own a confectionary business. I studied and learned the market until I achieved what I wanted. We offer our services for all of life’s special occasions!
To all donors and potential donors, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your contributions. Your donations helped me achieve my goals. Your donations are the heart of this great family that is Corazon de Vida. You’ve helped children and adolescents have the opportunity to study and have a better future. I am the result of your generosity. I was able to fulfill my professional and personal dreams. Your support will encourage others to commit to achieving their goals and become a success story.
A Heart for Community
Hi, my name is Emmanuel, this is my story. I arrived at the orphanage at the age of 6. During the home’s opening, my parents joined as volunteers, during that time there was not much income nor many children. We were there because of my parents’ desire to support the community. My mother cooked and my father was in maintenance. After 2 years, special needs children arrived. I was interested in seeing how children my age had different abilities. I saw them as my brothers and sisters. I witnessed the great family support in that home of 100 people, including the orphanage staff. I wanted to be an example for the younger ones, that pushed me to be better, in the same way they taught me so much.
I met the Corazon de Vida during my high school years. When I wasn't sure I could continue with university due to the expenses, CDV gave me a scholarship to pursue a career. I chose to study Physical Therapy with the hope of helping my siblings at the orphanage improve their mobility. My parents did what they could but my greatest support was always the foundation, it was great to feel that support and motivation. I studied abroad for 8 months in Spain, focusing on specialized physical therapies. I saved for a year and the foundation supported me with my needs. Studying abroad felt like a luxury, it helped me value many things I know I would not have achieved without the support of CDV.
My path eventually led me to other opportunities. I’m an event manager, a restaurant director of operations, and the general manager of a restaurant owned by Amar Harrag, a great supporter of the foundation. He knew me as a child and he always saw my work potential. I now provide operation and administration advice. I hope to reach 35 with as much stability as possible to focus on teaching pedagogy in mathematics or history.
I am currently engaged, and I have a lot of work lined up! I am very happy to see how my life is reflecting the efforts and commitment I made to myself. In my free time, I like to be with my family, watch TV series, and live new experiences like new restaurants and wine.
"I believe the donors make everything possible, their contributions are greater than they know."
Thanks to the foundation I learned about success and how to set goals, they gave me the best advice. I realize that to achieve great things you must be with great people. It is important to give back to the community, being a great person comes from within. I believe the donors make everything possible, their contributions are greater than they know. They helped me develop professionally and thanks to their support many children are getting the same opportunity. Each child they support has goals and it is because of your donations that they can truly achieve them. THANK YOU!
Hi, my name is Yurixa, but everyone calls me Yuri. This is my story. I arrived at an orphanage at the age of 13 due to parental neglect as a result of their frequent drug abuse. At the orphanage, I learned a lot about values that I am very grateful for today.
I met Corazon de Vida while in high school. They offered me a scholarship so I could pursue my career. I proudly got my certification in Cosmetology. I have always liked all things beauty and thought I could one day do something with it. CDV helped me throughout my studies.
Thank God, these days I'm doing very well. I have a great job and a great family! I operate my own business from my home where I have a dedicated salon studio. When I am not working, I love spending time with my family.
To all the donors, may you continue to support Corazon de Vida students. You are making their dreams come true.
Hi, my name is Charlie. This is my story. I arrived at an orphanage at the age of 10. My mother abandoned us and my father went to jail, and there was no other family member to take care of me and my siblings. The orphanage where I lived made sure I received an education, but I always longed for a parental figure I could approach with anything.
Once I aged out of the orphanage I decided to attend university and look after myself. A few years later, I met Corazon de Vida through an American I met at the orphanage where I lived for several years. CDV heard my story and offered their support during my 2nd semester, and from there on they supported me for the rest of my educational pursuit. They helped me continue with my goal of becoming an engineer. I graduated with a degree in Software Development Engineering. I’ve loved computers since I was a child and it is something that I am passionate about to this day.
My journey has brought about my independence. I am very focused on growing my career and job opportunities. I currently work as an Infrastructure Analyst in the IT department at Medtronic. In my free time I enjoy gaming with friends and watching TV series.
To the donors, I appreciate all the support you have given me over the years. Thanks to you I was able to achieve my dream of finishing school, and now I have a career that I love. Thank you!
Since my story was first featured in February of 2022, I can happily share that I continue to work as a veterinarian and trainer at Xel-Há- an incredible park in Quintana Roo that houses several marine and exotic species. I do have a big life update: I am getting married on February 24th!
I met my fiancee during our internship at Xcaret where he served as a marine biologist in the aquarium and I served as a veterinarian. As fate would have it, we reunited in Yucatán where we both pursued our master’s degree. We have been together for five years. He is a very intelligent person, he always makes me laugh and knows how to listen.
Corazon de Vida’s Programs Director, George Pérez, will be walking me down the aisle on my wedding day. He has been like a father to me, always giving me advice, accompanying me in important moments, and always being someone I can trust. He has taught me that I should feel proud of everything I have achieved and that I can be a motivation for other children who have gone through the same thing. That is a beautiful thing.
I admire the passion and love that Corazon de Vida has for all those who need them. Despite the great responsibilities they have, they take the time to listen and provide love to so many children. They become part of our family. Since I was little I had a dream of being a veterinarian, and I thought that perhaps I would not achieve it. Now I have a better life and a stable job, and I am about to start a family. Thanks to each person who is part of CDV, and to all those who decide to support this noble cause. Every action, no matter how small it may seem, can make a difference to a child in need.
Dear Corazon de Vida Family,
Your support is making a difference! As we get to the close of our 29th year of providing for orphan and vulnerable children in Baja, Mexico, we want you to know that your support over the years is creating a wave of change in Baja that has a generational impact! Below is a short recap of this year’s activities.
LIFE SUSTAINING SUPPORT: Thanks to your generous giving, we continue to provide life-changing support for the children of Baja. This year we welcomed Casa del Jardin orphanage to our network of support. Casa del Jardin is a very special home to 20-25 children and teens. Orphanages in our network received monthly funds for basic needs such as food, water, shelter, utilities and care. We were also able to adjust our level of support to account for the devaluation of the dollar which dropped 15-20% in value.
QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT: Several construction, repair, and facility improvement projects were completed this year. We also placed a strong emphasis on identifying and covering the health needs of the children, and ensuring that we have funds to support these needs. With our focus placed on preventive care to improve the children's health and well-being, it is no surprise that this year we had a significant increase in the number of kids who needed medical intervention, eye care, and dental work! With hundreds of kids and young adults in our network of support, we know this will continue to be a significant need.
EDUCATION: Thanks to everyone's participation, we had a very successful Back-to-School fundraising and supply drive. Some of the kids at the orphanages continue to struggle with raising their academic level up after almost two years of remote learning. We continued to fund onsite teachers/tutors who have been able to work with the children who need the most help (including new children who arrive at the home and need additional support as they incorporate into their new school.) We plan to continue to provide this type of support to supplement the children's learning. In addition, we have a "Computer Coding" pilot project at one of the orphanages, teaching the children coding skills using a program called Scratch, a program for kids developed by MIT. The children are learning to create digital stories, games and animations and learning problem-solving skills, creative learning, collaboration, and self-expression. We hope to motivate and inspire the children and create a wave of future computer programming professionals!
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This year we had twelve (12) students who completed their university/trade school studies!
Here is a photo of them during our graduation celebration in October.
Top row, left to right: Eunice - Medicine, Magui - Nursing, Alejandra - Education, Rocio - Dentistry, Griselda - Cosmetology, Paloma - Education, Kelly - Business Administration. Bottom row, left to right: Osbaldo - Customs and Logistics, Angela - Culinary, Charlie Engineering. Not pictured: Karen - Engineering, Lupita - Law.
Nothing fills our hearts more than to see our children succeed! If you EVER wonder whether your support makes a difference, they are living proof that it does. Together we are giving orphaned and abandoned children an opportunity for a life of purpose and possibility.
Please consider making an additional end-of-the-year tax-deductible donation to help us continue to make the dream of a better life a reality for our kids! Thank you for your support and partnership in this work!
Click here to donate today: https://form.jotform.com/221146956589166
Hi, my name is Lupita. This is my story. I entered an orphanage at the age of 5. I arrived in Tijuana from Guadalajara with my mother and two older sisters. My mother would often leave us home alone so she could go to work. She was a single parent without support, so she found it difficult to care for us. It was then she decided to put us in the orphanage’s care. My life in the orphanage was tough because I was too young to understand why I was there, but I later developed independence and empathy.
I met Corazon de Vida during one of their orphanage visits. They have impacted my life tremendously. My only father figure was and will be George (CDV's Baja Programs Director). The quality time that he has shown me is priceless, he is my angel, my light in the dark, he’s my father. CDV continued to help me after aging out of the orphanage. I would send my grades and could rest assured my school fees would be covered, I would have a roof over my head and food on my table. They only asked me to stay in school and avoid getting in trouble. Today, I still receive help from CDV in the form of love and warmth. They are very involved in my life, they are my family and always will be.
Thanks to CDV I attended school and got a degree in psychology. Initially, I chose that career to focus on child psychology but ended up focusing on industrial psychology instead. Currently, I work at a small business company in Tijuana as a human resources supervisor. I will forever be grateful for everything because I can honestly say that none of it would have been possible without CDV’s generosity. I am a single mom with a beautiful 3-year-old, a lovely job, and a sustainable lifestyle. In my free time, I love painting in watercolors, I have no idea what I am doing, but I enjoy it! I also love watching movies and spending time with my daughter.
"I tell them the cycle is being broken."
I want to say that I will be forever grateful to CDV and its supporters because they played a crucial role in my success. Every time I tell my story to people they feel pity for me and I tell them the cycle is being broken. I tell them about CDV and how my life changed since they entered my life, I ask them to not feel bad and to applaud my success, our success. I did not understand before but I do now and I know that I am not a person to feel pity for. I am a strong woman, a strong mother who had a tough life as a child and grew up in a different environment than any other child would but had the best of the results.
I want to thank every one of the donors. We see Corazon de Vida, but I am sure there is a huge community behind everything they do. You are part of something truly magical. You may not be able to see each of us grow into our best version, but rest assured that there are marvelous stories to be told. Corazon de Vida cannot be defined in one word. They are hope, light, dreams, love, and health. With them on your side, you can be whoever you want to be, you just need to have clear ideas and a defined mindset, and the rest will be taken care of.
Hi, my name is Jaqueline. This is my story. I entered the orphanage Casa Hogar EL REINO DE LOS NIÑOS as a 9-year old because my mother couldn’t care for me after my grandfather, my primary caregiver, passed away. After his death, my mother completely neglected me for a year, so I was referred to child protective services.
My life changed radically for the better. At the orphanage, I was surrounded by people who showed me love and acceptance. Many children shared their experiences with me, I would certainly not have had that chance outside the orphanage. I look back on that stage of my life with great affection and gratitude. It was where I met my future adoptive mother.
I was adopted at the age of 14. My adoptive mother told me she couldn't afford to put me through college, so I told myself I would work hard to achieve it. Since then, I worked hard in different places to cover costs during high school. While in high school, a friend's family felt compassion for me and decided to support my university expenses if I got accepted. I made it to university and they provided support until the 5th semester (two and a half years). The support ended when my friend's father tried to abuse me by saying, “YOU THINK THINGS ARE GIVEN FOR FREE.” I knocked on the doors of Mexico’s National System for Integral Family Development since I wanted with all my might to succeed. They supported me for a year, lent me a house but didn't help me with food, and that meant that I couldn't do it alone. The nursing career does not allow you to work since the schedule is very difficult. As a result, I decided to abandon my dreams and start working so I could provide for myself.
Saddened, I went to drop out of school, halfway through my degree. I was crying in the library when a student came up to me and asked me what was wrong. After I explained my situation to her, she told me she knew Corazon de Vida and gave me their contact information. I was happy to get in touch and receive a response. I couldn't believe something this good was happening to me. They told me they would help me with housing, tuition, food, EVERYTHING…..that was truly a gift from God.
I always knew I wanted to pursue nursing. At the age of 8, I became responsible for my grandfather in his last days. Without realizing that from that time on, I was already a nurse. Today, I am very lucky to work within my profession for one of the best-paid hospitals in Ensenada. I do what I am passionate about with love, and I'm going for more. I’m about to start a diploma program in pediatric emergencies.
I thank God for receiving this support. I am a person like many with a lot of needs and without family members to support me. Corazon de Vida is a great blessing. The donors who make this possible, forever mark the lives of people like me, who at the time people didn't give a single cent to. Now, I consider myself a successful person.
If I could describe the foundation in just one word it would be BLESSING. Thank you for all you do.
To the donors, thank you very much for all the help you gave me when I needed it most.
Hi, my name is Cecilia, this is my story. At the age of 14, I arrived at an orphanage, called Casa Hogar Estado 29. It became one of the most significant experiences of my life. It marked a turning point, transforming my past and shaping my future.
The home became a true melting pot of experiences and learning. Living with other young people in similar situations showed me that I was not alone in my journey. We shared our stories and supported each other in our daily struggles. I understood the importance of empathy and solidarity, values that I still hold in my heart.
During my stay at the orphanage, I had the incredible privilege of crossing paths with Corazon de Vida, who played a fundamental role in my university career and opened the doors to a promising future. Thanks to your generosity and support, today I can proudly say that I have a degree in psychology specializing in organizational development, currently working at the company Work One Solutions. As a professional, my passion lies in being an agent of change. I work hand in hand with leaders and teams, providing solutions and strategies that promote motivation, collaboration, and emotional well-being. I firmly believe in people's power and ability to drive organizational success.
The opportunity to become a licensed psychologist has been a significant achievement in my life. I thank the foundation that made this possible and all the people who have believed in me throughout my career. Your unwavering support has inspired me to keep going and make a difference in the workplace.
The CDV Foundation went beyond education support. It also gave me experiences that I never thought possible for someone like me who came from a group home. Thanks to them, I had the opportunity to obtain a visa, visit Disneyland, get to know San Francisco, and discover places that I only saw in movies. These experiences left an indelible mark on my heart and reminded me that dreams can come true.
Today, I look back and realize how far I’ve come. I thank God and life for leading me on this path. Although the difficulties were not easy to face, they taught me to value each small victory and not to take moments of happiness for granted. Today, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share my story. If I can inspire someone who is in a similar situation, my purpose will be fulfilled. We can all face adversity and find the power to build a fulfilling and meaningful life.
To all those who support the foundation, I want to say the impact goes beyond education. You are changing lives and opening doors to a future full of opportunities for young people like me. I urge you to continue your support because every contribution counts and makes a significant difference to those who need a boost on their path to reaching their goals.