Empower and educate teenage mothers in Chile

Hi there,

I want to share a touching story that beautifully illustrates the impact your support of our Empower and Educate Teenage Mothers in Chile project makes possible.

Recently, Hogar de Cristo, through Fundación Súmate, established a partnership with Fundación Presente aimed at supporting adolescent mothers in their return to education and reducing school exclusion. The collaboration focuses especially on young moms who often face greater barriers to continuing their studies.

The program combines Súmate’s socioeducational approach with Fundación Presente’s proven tools and methodologies to strengthen attendance, retention, and emotional resilience. It means setting up tailored reentry pathways that respond to the unique circumstances of teenage mothers—helping them heal, learn, and move forward with dignity.

One story stands out: María, a teen mother, had lost hope after dropping out of school. But with our support, she reenrolled in a reentry classroom, receives regular guidance and counseling, and gradually begins to build an education again—for herself and her child. Though young, she is determined, and now imagines completing her studies and giving her daughter a better future.

Thanks to your generosity, programs like this turn setbacks into new beginnings. Young mothers regain their rightful place in education, reconnect with their communities, and discover that expecting motherhood doesn’t mean giving up on dreams.

Thank you for helping restore hope and opportunity—one young mother at a time.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Hogar de Cristo

In the heart of Santiago, under the lights of a century-old space, nine young people from Hogar de Cristo's Súmate Foundation aesthetics workshop found much more than a lesson in aesthetics. The visit was a gateway to self-expression and empowerment for those who, after being marginalized from the educational system for years, now seek to forge a future through art.

The workshop, led by professionals from the Santiago Municipal Theater, not only taught these Súmate students the techniques of visual transformation, but also offered them a safe space to explore their creativity and build confidence. "Learning how to apply makeup not only changes how you look, but how you feel," explains Hermilys (17), from the Padre Hurtado School in Renca.

The theatrical makeup workshop is part of the collaboration agreement between the Municipal Theater and Hogar de Cristo's Súmate Foundation. A strategic alliance that opens the doors to the fascinating world of culture and the arts for young people who have been excluded from education. This initiative provides them with valuable artistic skills and creates a safe space where they can see plays, attend concerts and operas, and participate in makeup and costume-making workshops.

As you can see, you are part of a large support network that is enabling more and more young people to return to school and complete their studies. Thank you so much for your support!