By Megan Kadrmas | Communications Coordinator
Carlitos came to us a few years ago. He was scared. He was scarred. He had been abused in horrific, stomach-wrenching ways. He was only 7 years old but had already lived a lifetime of trauma and abuse. Carlitos was sold by his desperate mother to a man who did unspeakable things to him.
He was placed in a loving foster family, one of our best. He was enrolled in school and given new clothing. We bought him new shoes and a back pack and everything else a little boy needs to fit in. Most importantly for Carlitos, though, we set up frequent visits to our staff psychologist.
Slowly, carefully, and with lots of love, we learned about what happened to Carlitos. We taught him boundaries and rules. And he started teaching us, too. He quickly became the face of our programs, greeting new visitors with a friendly smile and quick sense of humor.
Carlitos graduated from primary school last month. His foster father, who he calls “papa,” was there to cheer as he accepted his diploma. We try not to pick favorites, but when a child has come this far in a few short years, you can’t help but feel so proud of his accomplishments.
We’re more proud of Carlitos than words can express. But we also know that he has a long way to go. He’s about to hit puberty, which can be a rollercoaster even for children raised in the best environments. We’ve promised Carlitos that we’ll stay with him as long as he stays in school and keeps being such a great kid. But we need your help to keep that promise. Please, donate today to give Carlitos the bright future we all see for him.
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By Claire San Filippo | Operations Director
By Claire San Filippo | ITEMP Director of Operations
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