It Takes a Village

Meet Mama Elvere. She is one of over 200 Espwa employees who help take care of over 400 children. She is a house mom for 23 boys, ages 11 to 12 years old. She works five days a week, and then goes to a surrounding town to see her six kids. Not only does working at Espwa support her, it supports and provides hope to her family. In her free time, she enjoys sewing. She felt one of the best things for visitors to do with the kids is arts and crafts. 

She first started working at Espwa after the earthquake in 2010, when she learned about it from Matante (the maternal figure at Espwa). She was unemployed before, and expressed that working with kids was a dream come true. She says the most rewarding part of her job is watching the kids grow and to help them along the way. Her biggest hope for the kids is that they live a better life. Of course, just like any parent, she said the hardest part of her job was getting all the boys to listen to her. 

Thank you for being part of Espwa's extended village. Without your support, we would not be able raise these incredible children. To learn more or make a donation, visit Free the Kids.