By Tomas Montemerlo | Project Leader
When Marcelo first arrived at our workshop in Barrio 31, he wasn’t sure he could stay.
Like many of the 58 participants who joined our program in 2025, he was in recovery from substance use and trying to rebuild his life. He had tried different jobs before, but without structure and support, consistency felt impossible.
In recovery, the hardest part is not starting.
It’s staying.
Every morning at 9 a.m., Marcelo now walks into the candle workshop. He puts on his apron, prepares soy wax, measures fragrance carefully, and works alongside his team. What once felt unfamiliar is now routine. What once felt unstable is now structure.
This year, we focused not on how many people enter the program — but on how many are able to remain.
In 2025:
58 individuals participated in our workshops
Average attendance reached 76%
65% remained between 4–12 months
Long-term participation (over one year) reached historic levels
For people overcoming addiction, permanence is progress.
More Than Candle-Making
This year marked an important shift. We expanded working hours for participants who demonstrated consistency and responsibility. Twice a week, selected individuals stayed for extended shifts — increasing both income and autonomy.
To make this possible, we built a new dining and locker space inside the workshop. It may sound simple, but having a safe place to store belongings and share a meal brought dignity and order to the space. It strengthened the feeling that this is not temporary help — it is real work.
Participants produced:
17,393 soy candles
10,962 recycled glass units
3,570 kg of glass reintegrated into the production cycle
But the real production is something less visible: confidence, discipline, teamwork.
Holistic Support for Lasting Change
Recovery requires more than employment. Throughout 2025, our team provided:
26 intake interviews
17 individualized follow-ups
8 emotional health workshops
4 financial literacy sessions
11 community assemblies
Our social worker remained in close coordination with local community centers to ensure that housing, family, and legal challenges did not interrupt participants’ progress.
One of our most powerful outcomes this year was among participants from the trans community, who showed the highest average permanence — 14 months. Access to inclusive employment is not just opportunity; it is stability.
Looking Ahead
Marcelo recently told us:
"Before, I couldn’t imagine myself working every day. Now I’m thinking about what comes next."
That shift — from survival to future planning — is the transformation your support makes possible.
In 2026, we aim to expand extended working hours to more participants and strengthen our ability to track long-term progress.
Each candle represents light.
But more importantly, it represents someone choosing to stay — in recovery, in community, and in hope.
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