Igniting Hope in Youth

CHOLOMA, Honduras — The urban community of Éxitos de Anach is plagued with a long list of social issues—such as poverty and crime—that may lead to violence and irregular migration.

“Students know this area is dangerous,” says Kevin Saldívar, a teacher at the high school. “And although we have avoided acts of extreme violence, students are surrounded by negative influences, including alcoholism and drug abuse.”

Saldívar has been a leader in identifying youth who are at risk of migrating without proper documentation or falling prey to criminal activities. “I have had students who migrate with their families,” Saldívar says. “Some do not return to the community, but others have returned but with serious emotional problems.”

Sembrando Esperanza family counselor Kenberlyn Downs explains that schools in Choloma are one of the main referral sources to the USAID-supported program. “We talk to teachers, school counselors and parents who help us identify students who need support,”ela diz.

Downs stresses the importance of establishing trust with young people. “The connection we make with young people is crucial. We provide them with support and guidance, allowing youth to see that there is a promising future beyond the current challenges within their communities,”ela diz.

Sembrando Esperanza relies on a proven behavioral measurement tool called the IMC++ to determine the level of violence and irregular migration risks a youth may face. Interviewees answer a series of questions, such as drug and alcohol use, their personal relationships and their intention to migrate, to determine if they would benefit from the family counseling program.

“This study allows us to see how a young person is developing in different aspects of his or her life including family, school or friends,” says Alejandro Izaguirre, a family counselor with Sembrando Esperanza. “Through this process, we also see clear patterns that give us a better understanding the community’s needs in order to offer effective solutions through Sembrando’s other project objectives.”

Youth are divided into three categories based on their risk level. Youth at a secondary or tertiary risk level are included in the four-month counseling program that strengthens the family and gives parents the tools to create improved family cohesion, keeping youth focused on their studies, família, and forming positive relationships.

Family Counselor Kenberlyn Downs says there are several phases to Sembrando Esperanza’s intervention. “We start with one and gradually, as the counseling progresses, we address bigger aspects to work on, and when there is family unity in the process, it becomes easier to work on other behavior changes,”ela diz.

Sembrando Esperanza Program Manager Pamela Sánchez says the program focuses on incremental change.

“We start with small behavioral changes in young people, working with families to improve the family dynamic,” Sánchez says. “The counselor helps the family set its own rules and expectations, which may include a set time to complete homework and a nightly curfew. We then move to deeper issues, and this brings families together to address their problems through critical and continuous support at home.”

Downs says the counseling is about positive change, and at each stage of the process they recognize the youth’s advancements. De fato, one step is called the “Celebration of Changes.”

“The Celebration of Changes helps us as a family to see what we have done, how we have progressed and the achievements we have made, little by little and one by one, at that point,” Downs says.

This family has been part of the Family Counseling process. Both young youth have been evaluated using the IMC++ and currently receive weekly visits from the counselors. Photos by Jim Huylebroek for USAID’s Sembrando Esperanza.