Every year, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children seek safety in the United States, often after enduring dangerous journeys. They hope for healing and a safe childhood here, but there are many challenges that stand in the way. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month and beyond, CWS is committed to ensuring these children have the care, protection and advocacy they …
Stories of Change
Mateo with his new backpack
“I left it all in the hands of God”
For as long as he can remember, 12-year-old Mateo’s family has been the grounding force in his life, always guiding him and providing unconditional love. In his home in Mexico, he was used to a full house, surrounded by his seven cousins, four younger siblings, mom, aunt, and uncle, which was especially important to him because his father has been in prison since Mateo was a baby. Never did Mateo expect that this family he loved with all his heart would be taken from him in a matter of minutes.
The family’s life as they knew it began to change when Mateo’s uncle left for the United States to seek better opportunities to provide for his family. “I lasted almost two years without seeing my husband,” explains Elena, Mateo’s aunt. Elena and Mateo’s mom managed for these two years, but eventually, the distance was too difficult for Elena and her seven children, and she made the decision to reunite with her husband.
When Elena began to plan her journey to the United States, she and Mateo’s mother agreed it was an opportunity for Mateo to have a better life, away from their impoverished community that was sometimes stricken by violence.
Despite his apparent maturity, Mateo was just a little boy, and leaving his mom behind was heartbreaking for both him and her. Thankfully, the plan was that his mom and siblings would join the rest of the family just a few months later, which meant that Mateo would only be separated from her for a short time. Elena began her journey with all eight children, including Mateo, who she considered one of her own children. “He is also my son,” she told us. “I treat them exactly the same.”
The family’s travel consisted of long bus rides and stays at safe houses until they finally reached the border. As simple as it might sound, these days were no easy feat for Elena, who was solely responsible for the eight children ranging from ages 3 to 14. She recalls that many of those traveling with her were also women with children. When they arrived at the border, they were taken in by immigration officials, who took them to a detention center.
The detention center felt unbearable for Elena’s children, who were exhausted from many days of travel and cried out that they were tired and hungry and had to wait for many hours sharing only two aluminum blankets. After a few days, the family was released to another center in Arizona, where immigration officials processed their documents. It was here that Elena learned that without the proper documentation to confirm that Mateo was indeed related to her, he would have to go through the process of entering the United States as an unaccompanied child, a process that exists to ensure children who enter without legal guardians are protected from situations like trafficking or kidnappings. Elena was shocked but trusted that all would end up well and said, “I left it all in the hands of God.”
At that moment, the foundation that had supported Mateo his entire life was pulled from under him, leaving him alone in a foreign country where he would have to rely on the kindness of strangers. The process of having Mateo reunited with his family took two months. During this time, Elena and her children also struggled, experiencing homelessness for a week until they were able to reach the Texas city where her husband awaited them. She remembers phone calls with Mateo, in which he would ask, “When will you come to get me out of here?” and dreamed of the meals he would enjoy as soon as he left specifically some delicious Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Finally, Mateo was released to the family and his official sponsor, his uncle, who welcomed him into their new home with overwhelming joy. “I can be loud here!” Mateo exclaimed in his new home, where he excitedly played with his cousins and looked forward to watching his favorite shows on the TV. “He also got his favorite food!” said Elena with laughter.
Although he remains separated from his mother and siblings, Mateo is still hopeful he will one day reunite with them and, for now, is happy to be with his family again and is focusing on learning English and going to school. Through the support of CWS’ Children’s Services program, the family has an assigned case manager who is helping them create the safest and friendliest home possible for Mateo. Their case manager has worked diligently to provide them with various donations, including clothing, food, furniture, backpacks, school supplies, educational books, car seats and other necessities. Beyond this tangible support, Elena and her husband have become a team with their case manager, who checks on the family frequently, ensuring that they have access to the right resources and are on a path to success.
So far, Mateo is enjoying school and when we asked Elena if he’d made any new friends, she replied, “Oh boy, has he!” noting that he has all types of friends and is learning English quickly. She added gleefully, “He’s still a kid, but he feels like a man.” In his new home, Mateo can trust that he can go to school, feel safe, pursue his dreams, and be who he has always been: a kid.
*Note: pseudonyms have been used to protect the identity of the individuals in this story
To learn more about our Children Services program, click here.
Stories of Change
(not an actual photo of the two boys)
“They thank God that they found somebody to help their son.”
Story by: Rachel Helwig, Associate Director, Development & Engagement at CWS Lancaster
Each year, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children seek refuge in the United States. Just like refugees and asylum seekers, many unaccompanied children have fled violence and threats to their well-being in their home countries, undertaking dangerous journeys to seek safety in the United States. And just like all young people, they want to go to school, make friends and pursue their dreams within a safe and loving home.
When unaccompanied children first arrive in the U.S., they are quickly held in a border patrol or other detention facility before they are transferred to a shelter. There, they wait days, weeks or sometimes even months to be connected to their sponsors, with most ultimately reuniting with a family or friend already living in the United States.
CWS Lancaster first began our Home Studies Post-Release Services (HSPRS) program in May, supporting unaccompanied children as they are reunited with their sponsor after being released from a shelter. Our case managers work closely with children and their sponsors to create an action plan, setting goals like finishing school, accessing legal services or connecting to other community support systems for mental health, English language programs and cultural integration support.
In just the first five months, CWS Lancaster caseworkers have worked with 48 children and their sponsors across five states. Two of these youth are Abdair and Mikail who live together with a supportive sponsor who chose to welcome both children. Both had been forced to flee their homes in Egypt when they faced religious persecution because of their Christian faith. Although they had only met a few times earlier in life during annual Christian celebrations, they reconnected as they traveled to safety in the United States and grew their friendship during their time in the shelter.
Anoub is an uncle only to Abadir, but when Mikail’s Sponsor was no longer able to support him, Anoub welcomed both children into his home.
“In our culture, and in our religion, it’s not even a choice. Of course, we are going to take care of them,” Anoub said when asked why he was willing to serve as a sponsor to both children. “I just tried to help as I could. I knew that in a few months Mikail would be turning 18, and then he wouldn’t have anyone to take care of him.”
Isabel Alcala, CWS Lancaster HSPRS caseworker, has been providing initial support to Anoub and the children as they settle into their new home. She began working with Anoub and Abadir at first and later helped support Mikail as well when he was placed in the same home.
The sponsor has always treated both children as family since they walked through their door. “Anoub takes the children along with him on errands and ensures that they get out of the house. At home, he speaks to the opportunities they have and is very positive about their future. The children respect the home, and while they joke and are clearly comfortable in the home, they are very respectful of Anoub and his family,” said Isabel.
As Mikail and Abadir’s sponsor, Anoub has communicated various times with the boy’s parents. He shared, “They are happy. They are thankful for us. They thank God that they found somebody to help their son.”
Note: pseudonyms have been used to protect the identity of the individuals in this story
To learn more about our Children Services program, click here. To learn more about the work of CWS Lancaster, visit their website.
Stories of Change
Top: Scarlet with her Mom and brother in Bolivia, Second: Scarlet at her college graduation, Third: Scarlet at her daughter, Alisa's, graduation, Bottom: Scarlet with her son Aaron
Seeing the Invisible: Scarlet’s Story
When 12-year-old Scarlet Vargas was told by her parents that she would be going on vacation to visit her relatives in Houston, Texas, she had no idea that her life was about to change forever. She remembers that her parents bought her sparkly red shoes that she had always wanted and they put her on a plane all by herself where she saw her home country, Bolivia, get smaller and smaller until it only existed in her memories.
When she arrived in Houston, Texas with her sparkly red shoes, there was no golden path leading her back home. Scarlet soon realized she was not on vacation. Her parents had sent her to live in the United States with relatives she had never met, to create a new life in a place she did not know.
Scarlet remembers how challenging those first few months were as she navigated a new culture, new language and new school system with little to no support. “It was horrible,” she said. “When it was time for lunch, I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t know where the cafeteria was. I didn’t know if I had to pay or if it was free. I would just sit there and watch people eating because I was too scared and shy to ask. So that was shocking and depressing to me because there was nobody there to guide me.” Learning English felt impossible. Her school did not offer ESL classes so she had to learn in the same classes as non-Spanish speaking kids. Her sense of belonging had vanished and she felt invisible. Not even her sparkly red shoes could pull her out of this strange dream and bring her home.
Despite this and the various barriers she faced, Scarlet graduated high school and did something that surprised many in her community: she decided to attend college. Explaining that she wanted to make the most out of a difficult situation she said, “I think I’m very resilient and that’s what kept me going. I also have a younger brother who was my motivation. I wanted to show him that if I can do this, he can also do it.” Scarlet attended school part-time while maintaining a full-time job to pay her college tuition. She endured each shift and essay with one goal in mind and eight years later, she walked the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree.
With a bachelor’s degree under her belt, Scarlet went on to become a teacher then a CPS case manager, and eventually landed a job at CWS as a case manager. Here, Scarlet became the person she always needed but never had when she was a kid. She shared, “That’s why I do what I do now. When I work directly with the kids, I tell them, ‘I’ve been in your shoes. I didn’t speak English. I didn’t have papers. But look at me now! It is possible, you can do this.’”
Scarlet now works as a case processing associate at CWS and is in the process of getting her master’s degree in social work. She has two kids and her oldest daughter just started her first year of college. She also shared that she recently got a text from her younger brother inviting her to his graduation for his master’s degree.
We asked Scarlet what she wants people to know about individuals like her and the unaccompanied children she works with. She told us, “The kids that we serve are invisible in this country. Their existence is not acknowledged and they’re pretty much on their own.” Scarlet, once “invisible” herself, is now an empowering voice for children who like her, are alone in this new place that they are trying to make their home. She is using her own experience to shape the world into one that would have been kinder to her 35 years ago.
To learn more about the great work Scarlet and her colleagues are doing in our Children’s Services Program, click here.
Stories of Change
Miguel and his case worker Tania in his current city
Beyond Borders: Miguel’s Journey for Survival and Family
Story by: Jose Ruiz
Caseworker Tania Landi and Community Engagement Specialist Jose Ruiz recently traveled from New York City to meet with a client, referred to in this story by the pseudonym Miguel, to safeguard his privacy. Miguel’s story is a narrative emblematic of countless others navigating the web of migration’s challenges.
In a mountain-filled U.S. city, we met with Miguel, a teenager from Honduras. As we sat together admiring the beauty around us, Miguel recounted his story to us.
Miguel is from quaint village nestled in the heart of Honduras, where his world revolved around his family. His grandmother was paramount; she took responsibility for him after he was orphaned. You could see his eyes water as he talked about her. He explained, “She has severe diabetes. Her day-to-day life requires medical treatment, often something we can’t afford.” Miguel took the initiative to pay for her treatments, managing both school and work until it became untenable.
One day, he patiently waited for the school bus, but it never arrived. It turned out that the bus couldn’t follow its usual route because robbers were demanding exorbitant fees for the conductors to use that route. “I felt my opportunity for an education slipping away, like sand through my fingers,” Miguel explained. The only means for him to reach school was via the bus since walking through the dangerous roads daily was too risky.
The challenges in Miguel’s life seemed to multiply, and his family’s income could no longer sustain them. Miguel confronted a dilemma: remain in Honduras, navigating survival while supporting his grandmother, or relocate to the United States for a chance to improve their lives.
The decision was heart-wrenching, and the journey was an uphill battle.
Miguel traveled by coyote in a packed car with other migrants like him who sought a better life. “My legs were cramped, and my body was under immense pressure, I remained frozen in the same position for 15 hours at a time,” he recounted. “Eight of us crammed into a car meant for five, enduring the journey across Mexico,” he continued.
He arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border and was apprehended by border patrol, before being sent to a detention center near Hidalgo, Texas. “It all happened so quickly. I was not expecting that type of treatment. I think it was the worst part of the journey,” he said. The perpetual fluorescent lighting, unforgiving cold, thin aluminum blankets and the worm-infested food, Miguel found himself in the hieleras (freezers). He was placed with other afraid unaccompanied minors.
After two days, he was transferred to an Office of Refugee Resettlement shelter. There, caseworkers worked on connecting Miguel to a sponsor.
Miguel rested at a shelter for 48 days where he received support which included medical care, education, mental health assistance, food and recreational activities. Eventually, he was released and connected to his sponsor.
In the heart of the bustling city where his sponsor lived, Miguel found himself in a place that didn’t quite resonate with him. ”It was not my scene. I prefer a calmer environment,” he explained. He decided to move to a calmer U.S. city to be with his sponsor where he is hoping to start a GED program soon.
After getting to know Miguel at a deeper level, his love for his family and ambition was inspiring. He was a strong young man and through this strength, showed us his vulnerable side. Tania and I were grateful to listen to his story.
We sat there together, admiring the beautiful colors of the mountains, their stillness inviting reflection. I can’t help but ask myself, why do these children have to succumb to such situations? Why do these systems compel us to choose between love, peace, family and the fear of survival and hunger?
Finally, I asked, “What do you want your message to be for the people who read this story?”
“I want other unaccompanied children to know that even though life can be hard, we should be grateful for being alive and keep on fighting for a better future.”
Church World Service New York proudly serves unaccompanied children like Miguel. To learn more about how our caseworkers support unaccompanied minors, please visit our HSPRS page.
My First Capitol Hill Experience
Sebastian Vidal | November 15, 2023
As a child, I had been to Washington, D.C. many times, always seeing the Capitol building from afar and never up close. I remember staring at it in all its grandeur and imagining all the powerful decision-making taking place behind closed doors. I never imagined I would step foot inside the building several years later. That all changed the morning …
Stories of Change
Dayana at the CWS Jersey City office
Helping Migrants Through Human Connection
Dayana Cobo is a passionate staff member of the CWS New York team. Her passion and drive have led her to become a caseworker with Church World Service, supporting unaccompanied minors. What initially drew Dayana to CWS was our broad mission. As she explains, “I really love CWS’ mission and the fact that they were focused on helping immigrants and refugees.” She was inspired to see CWS serve diverse groups displaced by global crises, including those from Ukraine, Haiti, Central America and Uzbekistan.
In her role as a caseworker, Dayana works to forge human connections with clients before diving into services. Each initial video visit begins with a personal touch, as Dayana takes the time to get to know her clients on a personal level. She engages in conversations about their journey, their concerns and their excitement about the new chapter they are embarking on. Dayana emphasizes, “Our role extends beyond merely providing assistance; it’s about creating a safe space and ensuring our clients’ mental well-being is as important as their physical needs.” This deliberate approach to building rapport lays the foundation for trust.
An early case that stood out came just months into the job when Dayana supported a migrant family from rural South Carolina who spoke Uzbek. This rare language presented immense communication barriers. Through persistence and creativity, leveraging Russian interpretation services and Google Translate, Dayana secured an Uzbek-speaking lawyer, adult education classes in Russian and health insurance. As she recalls, “Not only did I utilize Google Translate and other interpreter services and hotlines we have, but I also had the added challenge of overcoming language barriers while searching for resources in a rural area. Despite this additional difficulty, I successfully managed to find everything they needed.” Overcoming linguistic and geographic obstacles highlighted the magic in this work for her.
Dayana has learned a gentle approach is essential for earning clients’ trust. When sponsors are initially resistant, she proposes just checking in weekly. As she explains, “eventually they actually end up opening up” through this dance of providing support while respecting hesitancy. The biggest lesson for Dayana has been recognizing, “if they don’t want it, they will also show you.”
Having gotten her start in psychology, Dayana sees the interplay between mental and physical health. She educates clients that just as they prioritize yearly checkups, they should do the same for their mental well-being. However, most are resistant to opening up about these needs while focused on immediate survival. As Dayana notes, “That’s a very touchy and sensitive topic, especially with our clients.” Pushing too hard could mean losing them altogether. Dayana thus focuses on listening, validating and gently connecting them with resources.
Though Dayana admits this work can be emotionally taxing, you would never know it from her constantly uplifted spirit. Her clients’ appreciation validates she is living her calling. She remains committed to compassionately walking with each family on their path forward.
Dayana is guided by a Hilary Duff quote, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” As a first-generation college graduate pursuing her purpose, this motto resonates deeply with her. She has learned progress requires perseverance. By boldly trying new directions, Dayana found her passion—helping migrants through human connection. She continues listening, uplifting and lighting the way for those needing support.
You can learn more about the work done by the HSPRS team by clicking here.
From Abandonment to Abundance: Juliana’s Story
October 9, 2023
Scroll through the gallery above to see images of Juliana, her family and her CWS case manager (second to last photo) When you first meet Juliana, the first thing you will notice about her is her bright and friendly smile. Behind this smile, however, lies a story of abandonment and tragedy that began before Juliana was even born in Guatemala. …
Stories of Change
Top: children partake in PREVENIR activities, Middle: Ronny (far left) and his students, Bottom: artwork in Ronny's school
A Teacher’s Big Dream Changes Lives
When Rony Rolando Herrera was a young boy, he became a child at risk after he was abandoned by his father. Rony’s mother gave everything she had to raise Rony and his three brothers on her own; a task that was only made more difficult by the impoverished circumstances the family lived in. Thankfully, Rony’s support did not end with his mother. Through a nonprofit, Rony was enrolled in a child protection program that redetermined his life path. Now, Rony is dedicated to doing the same for the children in his school.
Rony is a science teacher and director of a primary school in San Jose del Cacao, Honduras. San Jose del Cacao is a rural community where hardship, tradition and poverty prevent education from being a priority. “The customs of these communities are from past civilizations and focus on working the land, not developing psychologically or intellectually,” Rony explained.
The barriers to education are most detrimental to the most vulnerable members of the community, including young girls. As a teacher, it was not uncommon for Rony to see his female students, as young as 13 years old, drop out of school after entering relationships with older men who abused and manipulated them. “These girls are in their teenage years and they are not empowered to know their rights or to continue with their education. They don’t know that they can change the failed system in their communities that believe women’s only purpose is to reproduce, do laundry and cook,” Rony said.
Through the Alliance for the Protection of Children, of which CWS is a member, Rony is dedicated to protecting his most vulnerable students. By joining the program, PREVENIR*, run by the Alliance, students at Rony’s school are given the opportunity to receive a more holistic education that aims to reduce the risks they may experience outside of the classroom. Rony elaborates that, “the educational process must be comprehensive. In addition to learning about things like science or biology, children need to know their rights. They need to know, for example, their right to a home, a family, an education and their right to stay in school.”
The program accomplishes this through lessons on children’s rights, personal hygiene, artistic expression, spiritual development, cultural understanding and basic life skills such as how to use public transportation. Children are also granted access to psychosocial support and additional resources.
Rony calls himself a “dreamer” and told us his hope is that his students will no longer experience abuse, that they will be able to see alternative paths to safety and stability and that they won’t ever feel isolated or rejected. He added that he already sees a change and that others have noticed it too. “It’s gratifying when people tell me our students are so well-educated because they weren’t always like that. You can see now how they have changed.”.
Behind Rony’s motivation lies a shared understanding of what it is like to be a child in need who is cared for and given a chance at a safe and stable life. “I am a product of this kind of help,” he said, acknowledging all those who make programs like this one possible. Rony now carries the love he received from both his mother and the humanitarian workers who supported him, to the students he serves every day. He stated, “This type of support changes lives,” and added that even if out of 140 students, only one is impacted, he knows this impact will carry over to future generations, just as it did for him.
*The PREVENIR project is implemented by various faith-based organizations that are members of the Alliance for the Protection of Children, in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The Alliance has implementing partners in each of these countries. In Honduras, one of these partners is SPASS Honduras (Passionist Social Services).
You can learn more about the work CWS does in Latin America by clicking here.
Stories of Change
Rosa, Lucia and Alex
The Remarkable Power of a Mother’s Love
*WARNING: This story mentions violence and sexual abuse.*
How far would you go to protect your child or those you love the most? For Rosa, who traveled from Honduras to the U.S. to save her youngest children, the answer is as far as it takes.
For the majority of their lives, Rosa and her children were at peace in Honduras. Rosa spent most of her days working in the city where she and her friend owned a small grocery store. After she was done with her work, she came home to the countryside where she recalls that the bountiful fruits and plants and the flowing river provided her with constant joy and tranquility. “At home, I was with all my children and my happiness was in being with them”, Rosa shared.
Unfortunately, this peace was disrupted when Rosa’s brother came to live with the family. “I gave him a home because he didn’t have anything”, Rosa told us. Soon after moving in, Rosa’s brother began drinking and became violent. When her brother would come home after drinking, Rosa would escape out the back door with her children to a friend’s house where they would stay for the night. Eventually, the violence became unbearable and unavoidable so Rosa reported her brother to the police. Shockingly, Rosa’s family turned against her for denouncing her brother. Her in-laws took her teenage daughter to live with them and left her with her two little ones. Despite her countless reports to the police, Rosa’s brother remained free and continued to threaten Rosa and her youngest children.
With nowhere left to go, and no one to help, Rosa took off with 6-year-old Lucia and 11-year-old Alex to Mexico. Rosa’s heart was shattered as she was forced to leave behind her adult children, teenage daughter, loved ones, home, belongings and everything else she had ever known. Despite the devastating sadness she felt from being separated from her other children, Rosa pushed forward because Lucia and Alex depended on her to survive. There was no looking back.
In Mexico, the family was supported by a church that provided them with food and shelter. This, however, was a temporary solution and Rosa’s goal was to reach her sister in the U.S. After a few months, they moved into a different shelter that was closer to the U.S. border. Unbeknownst to the family, this specific shelter was a place where they would discover new and terrifying dangers.
Unlike official shelters that provide safety and support, this shelter was run by a human trafficker who kept the residents captive and forced them into labor. “They kept us locked up and under surveillance. We weren’t allowed to talk. Many of us single women were abused and because we wanted to protect our children, we did whatever they asked us to,” Rosa said. She wanted to escape but her captor told Rosa that if she attempted to escape, he would harm the pastor who had been supporting her.
Ultimately, Rosa devised a plan to save her children. She wrote a letter explaining her situation and she and five other mothers from the shelter went to the border where they handed over their children to immigration officials. To avoid suspicion, the women returned to the shelter and waited until their children were safe in the United States.
That night, Rosa was contacted by her pastor who told her he would help her escape. When she reminded him of the threats, he told her, “I am not afraid” and took Rosa to a different church where she remained hidden for two months. During these long and difficult months, Rosa wrote countless letters to an immigration lawyer who was eventually able to get Rosa permission to enter the United States. Three more grueling months later, Rosa was reunited with Lucia and Alex.
“God called on the Angels to reunite me with my children,” Rosa said. The reunion was joyful, but the family still had many barriers to overcome. After reuniting with her sister, Rosa realized that her sister’s husband posed the same threats that her brother did in Honduras, so she left.
After many months between shelters and temporary residences in the U.S., Rosa and her children were connected to Church World Service. “Here I met my case manager,” Rosa said with a big smile on her face as she leaned over to hug her case manager who sat next to her. “It was like meeting an angel because CWS allowed me to open my eyes and open my wings to fly in a different way. I was able to trust people again. Before I couldn’t trust anyone. This is the greatest help.” Rosa began to get emotional as she talked about her case manager. She remembered that her case manager always told her, “You can do this. You will move forward.” and told us, “This helped me regain my own self-confidence”.
Rosa and her case manager recalled that when they arrived, Lucia and Alex were very different. Lucia refused to speak and both were very shy. Now they are both confident and constantly stand up for one another. Rosa shared that most recently when Alex was getting bullied in school for not having U.S. documents, Lucia went straight to a teacher to report the incident. (Both children recently received legal status and Alex has proudly shared this news with his classmates). Rosa also shared that Alex constantly takes care of her and anytime it rains, he greets her with an umbrella at the bus stop so that he can walk her home. She stated, “My children love and respect me in the same way I love and respect them.”
Rosa dreams of the day she can be reunited with the rest of her children, especially her teenage daughter who misses her mom greatly. While she waits for this day, she is thankful for her safe home, case manager, job, and the smiles that have reappeared on Alex and Lucia’s faces. Against all odds and after many many miles, Rosa has achieved the impossible. Not only has she saved Lucia and Alex multiple times from immense danger, but she has raised them into kind individuals who have a deep love and respect for their mom.
To support families like Rosa’s and learn more about our Children Services Program, click here.
*Note: pseudonyms have been used to protect the identity of the individuals in this story