Cosmo Fujiyama, president of Students Helping Honduras, a senior at the College of William & Mary, reads a lesson book with Copprome residents Josefa Guevaroiv and Marvin Lopez during her visit earlier this month. Copprome is a home for children whose parents have died or abandoned them. Photos by

RIGHT: Maria Suyapa Reyes, 20, dances before a group of Copprome residents and their visitors. Reyes, who has lived at the orphanage for 14 years, just received a full scholarship to Unitec, a university in Honduras. She's an example of how young women can break the cycle of poverty. Photos by

UMW student Daniel Marsh, 19, relaxes with Christian Avela, 8, who lives at Copprome. Marsh, a member of the Campus Christian Community, raised about $1,500 from Charlottesville Church of the Nazarene to make the trip to Honduras. The students play with the children and get plenty of hugs and smiles in return. Photos by

Rotarian Ken Scruggs of Fredericksburg, whom the children called 'Santa,' plays with Copprome resident Ivan, 5, during the trip to Honduras. Photos by

ABOVE: New shoes were donated by Stafford and Rappahannock Rotary clubs to the children of Copprome in El Progreso. They also received other supplies and toys. Photos by

Catholic orphanage a shelter of last resort for some Honduran children

Date published: 1/22/2007

First part of series:: Fredericksburg-area college students and businesspeople experience poverty, hope in the squatter village of Siete de Abril .

EDITOR's NOTE: All reprint proceeds will be donated to Students Helping Honduras.

By RUSTY DENNEN

EL PROGRESO, Honduras--Across the road from the Copprome orphanage stands a giant factory that produces clothes for American sportswear companies.

The 25 boys and girls, ages 3 to 20, who live here don't wear any of the high-dollar labels that fill store shelves overseas. But their prospects are better than many Honduran children whose parents have abandoned them, succumbed to disease, or can't afford to support them.

Among those at Copprome are siblings whose parents died of AIDS.

An entity of the Catholic Church, Copprome is an acronym for Progreso Committee for the Protection of Youth. The children live here until they become adults.

They live very structured lives, going to church and school, eating together and sleeping in dormitories. They have become like family.

Julissa Manzanares, 11, was 3 years old when she arrived.

"My mother died when I was 10. My father left my mother when she was pregnant," she says in broken English. "I see my sister sometimes. It is sad, yes, when I see the families come to visit the other children. But you have to be strong."

She likes Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, American pop music and clothes. She points to a University of Mary Washington banner on the wall, left by an earlier group of students with the Fredericksburg school's Campus Christian Community.

"I want to go [there]. I would like to be an English teacher."

Groups of CCC students spend the night at the orphanage to play with and cuddle the children who crave any attention they can get. And they love the Americans who keep coming back, and bring them gifts and supplies.

"It's a great program for these kids while they are still children. They learn basic life skills," says UMW student Daniel Marsh, 19. He raised about $1,500 from Charlottesville Church of the Nazarene to make the trip to Honduras.

Go to fredericksburg.com to view additional photos from this series and to order photo reprints. All reprint proceeds will be donated to Students Helping Honduras.

Date published: 1/22/2007