New IJM Partnership for Escuintla, Guatemala Community Project
Escuintla, Guatemala — December 2025 — At the close of 2025, Kids Alive Guatemala formalized a new partnership with International Justice Mission (IJM), signing a Memorandum of Understanding to launch the Coordinated Community Response Model Project and Survivor Hubs in the department of Escuintla.
This three-year initiative is designed to strengthen local systems, raise up community leaders, and create safe spaces where survivors of sexual violence can find support, pursue justice, and use their voices to advocate for change.
Escuintla has some of the highest reported and underreported cases of sexual violence in Guatemala. While the justice system includes dedicated institutions, survivors often face significant barriers during the early stages of reporting and prosecution. Many walk through the process alone, and some withdraw from cases due to fear, confusion, or lack of support.
Through this new project, Kids Alive Guatemala is working to ensure survivors are met with dignity, coordinated care, and practical accompaniment from their first point of contact.
A Coordinated Community Response
The Coordinated Community Response (CCR) Model brings together the local justice system and the broader community to improve access to justice and reduce barriers that prevent cases from moving forward.
At the heart of this effort are Justice Roundtables—bimonthly coordination meetings involving key justice system actors, including:
National Civil Police Victim Assistance Office
Criminal Justice of the Peace
Attorney General’s Office
Women’s Prosecutor’s Office of the Public Ministry
National Institute of Forensic Sciences
Courts specializing in sexual violence and crimes against women
Roundtables will be established in four municipalities—Palín, Masagua, Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, and La Gomera—to improve coordination, identify systemic barriers, and implement practical solutions that increase survivors’ access to justice.
Raising Up Community Guides
A core component of the project is the identification and training of 40 volunteer Community Guides across the four municipalities by 2026.
These trained leaders will walk alongside survivors and families during critical stages of the criminal process—providing legal, social, and psychological support. Their role includes:
Explaining each step of criminal proceedings
Helping families understand the effects of trauma
Supporting emotional processing
Connecting survivors to appropriate institutions
Offering physical accompaniment, when desired
This community accompaniment model is built on four pillars: creating security, empowering personal autonomy, promoting connection, and supporting emotional management and reflection.
No survivor should have to face the justice system alone.
This project represents a new chapter for Escuintla. Survivors of sexual violence deserve more than a case number—they deserve to be seen, heard, and accompanied with dignity from the very beginning of their journey toward justice. Through this partnership with International Justice Mission, we are strengthening both community leadership and institutional coordination so that no child or woman walks this path alone. When communities are equipped, survivors are empowered, and justice systems work together, transformation becomes possible.” - Rosalva Alvarado, Country Director, Kids Alive Guatemala
Survivor Hubs: Strength in Community
In addition to system-level coordination and community guides, the project will establish a Survivors’ Network in Escuintla. These voluntary groups will provide space for survivors to share experiences, build mutual support, and advocate for improved justice responses.
By the end of 2026, the goal is to establish at least one active Survivor Hub with 25 engaged members meeting monthly.
This network reflects a powerful truth: a survivor is not defined solely by trauma, but by resilience, courage, and the ability to transform pain into strength.
Catalyzing Long-Term Impact
This partnership with IJM builds on Kids Alive Guatemala’s commitment to justice-focused care. By extending services into the community, mobilizing volunteers, and strengthening inter-institutional collaboration, the Escuintla Community Project will:
Improve coordination within the justice system
Reduce case withdrawal and delays
Expand survivor-centered accompaniment
Equip local leaders to prevent violence
Lay groundwork for future advocacy and systemic reform
Together, Kids Alive Guatemala and International Justice Mission are investing in a future where communities are equipped to prevent sexual violence, survivors are supported with dignity, and justice processes are strengthened to serve those most in need.
About Kids Alive International
Kids Alive International is a global non-profit dedicated to protecting children, strengthening families, and advocating for justice. With a presence in seven countries, Kids Alive provides holistic care that addresses not only immediate needs like safety, education, and health, but also the deeper wounds of trauma and sexual abuse.
In Guatemala, the ministry operates under the name Vida Para Niños and is recognized for its leadership in trauma-informed care, restorative justice, and advocacy for children who have suffered sexual abuse or other forms of violence. Through safe homes, foster family programs, counseling, and legal accompaniment, Kids Alive ensures that children are not revictimized by the systems meant to protect them.
The organization is committed to advancing systemic change by working with courts, governments, and local partners to embed “Justice that Heals” into legal processes. This includes creating safe spaces within court systems, training judicial personnel in child-sensitive practices, and walking with families as they pursue reconciliation and restoration.
Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Kids Alive International is devoted to making that a reality, combining compassionate care with courageous advocacy to defend the most vulnerable and restore hope for future generations.
Inspired to be part of this movement for justice that heals? Learn more and explore ways to get involved at www.kidsalive.org/ways-to-give.
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information about news stories like this one, please contact us at news@kidsalive.org.
January 23rd, 2026– Andahuaylas, Perú — Kids Alive Peru (Niños a la Vida), continues to advance coordinated, prevention-focused efforts to protect children and girls through two strategic partnerships in the regions of Andahuaylas and Ucayali.
Strengthening Comprehensive Protection in Andahuaylas
In Andahuaylas, Kids Alive Peru signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the UAIVIT Andahuaylas (District Unit for Protection and Assistance to Victims and Witnesses). This alliance strengthens the local response to cases of sexual violence by expanding access to psychological care, social support, and legal accompaniment for children and girls. The partnership also prioritizes prevention and early response, including guidance, awareness-building, and timely referral of cases. By coordinating efforts between institutions, the agreement helps ensure a more effective and unified system of protection—one that upholds children’s rights and places their safety and well-being at the center.
Building Safer Learning Environments in Ucayali
In the jungle region of Ucayali, Kids Alive Peru formalized a cooperation agreement with the Local Education Management Unit of Coronel Portillo – Ucayali (UGEL), reinforcing joint efforts to prevent violence and strengthen protection within public schools.
Through this partnership, teachers and school leaders in the area will be trained in the “Playing We Grow Stronger” methodology. This participatory approach equips educators to lead interactive workshops that build self-protection skills, promote healthy relationships, and support the early identification of risk situations related to sexual violence.
By working alongside public education authorities, this initiative strengthens local capacity and helps create safer, more resilient learning environments, where educators become key agents of change and students are supported to grow and thrive free from harm.
A Shared Commitment to Prevention and Restoration
With the support of Kids Alive International, Kids Alive Peru continues to advance sustainable, prevention-centered solutions that reflect a shared commitment to justice that heals, and bonds that mend. These partnerships demonstrate the impact that is possible when communities, institutions, and public systems work together to protect children and build a safer future.
Kids Alive International is a global organization committed to walking alongside children and families through prevention, advocacy, and care. Founded in 1916, Kids Alive partners with local communities, governments, and institutions to strengthen systems that protect children and support long-term healing.
In Peru, Kids Alive operates through Niños a la Vida, working in close collaboration with justice system partners to support children affected by sexual violence. Through legal advocacy, therapeutic care, and capacity-building with professionals, Kids Alive Peru helps create safer pathways for children to access justice while prioritizing dignity, restoration, and hope.
Across all the countries where Kids Alive serves, the organization remains focused on building sustainable, locally led solutions that protect children, strengthen families, and contribute to healthier communities.
Inspired to be part of this movement for justice that heals? Learn more and explore ways to get involved at www.kidsalive.org/ways-to-give
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information about news stories like this one, please contact us at news@kidsalive.org.
January 11th, 2026 — Lima, Peru — Kids Alive Peru (Niños a la Vida), has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Peru, marking the first national-level cooperation agreement between Kids Alive and Peru’s Prosecutor’s Office.
This two-year agreement establishes a framework for collaboration focused on strengthening institutional capacity, improving investigative processes, and expanding specialized tools that support children involved in sexual violence cases—particularly during judicial and forensic procedures.
“This agreement represents a pivotal step forward in our shared commitment to protecting children and strengthening justice systems,” said Corbey Dukes, President & CEO of Kids Alive International. “By formalizing this partnership at the national level, we are creating space for deeper collaboration, better tools, and more consistent child-centered practices that honor the dignity and voice of every child.”
Formalized in Lima, the MOU was signed by César Augusto Enríquez Gutiérrez, General Manager of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and Marlene Arroyo Mestanza, Country Director of Kids Alive Peru (Niños a la Vida).
A Strategic Step Forward for Child-Centered Justice
Through this MOU, Kids Alive Peru and the Public Prosecutor’s Office will work together in several key areas:
Collaboration in the prosecution of cases involving sexual violence against children, sharing experience and best practices
Donation, installation, training, and accompaniment in the use of video testimony rooms (Gesell Chambers) for child victims and witnesses, beginning in Pucallpa, Andahuaylas, and Lima
Specialized training and capacity-building for prosecutors and forensic professionals, with a focus on child-sensitive practices
Joint awareness campaigns and academic events that promote prevention, victims’ rights, and improved access to justice
For Kids Alive Peru, this agreement builds on years of hands-on collaboration with justice system actors and allows that work to move forward in a more formal and sustainable way.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office is a key strategic partner for us,” said Marlene Arroyo Mestanza, Country Director of Kids Alive Peru. “This agreement opens new doors to work together in training, prevention, and the responsible handling of cases involving children. We are encouraged by the openness and shared vision demonstrated through this partnership and look forward to the impact it will have across the country.”
Strengthening Systems That Protect Children
A critical component of this agreement includes close coordination with the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, which operates under the Prosecutor’s Office. This collaboration helps ensure investigative and testimonial processes are handled in ways that reduce additional harm and prioritize the well-being of children.
The Prosecutor’s Office has emphasized the urgent need for functional and well-equipped video testimony rooms, as well as continued professional training. These tools are essential to ensuring children can share their testimony in safe, appropriate settings within the justice system.
By allowing Kids Alive Peru to provide technical assistance, training, and infrastructure support in an official capacity, the MOU strengthens institutional response and reinforces shared accountability across systems designed to protect children.
Seeing the Impact in Practice
As part of this collaboration, Kids Alive Peru will expand the use of video testimony rooms designed to help children share their testimony in safe, child-sensitive environments. These spaces play a critical role in reducing additional harm during legal proceedings.
This short video offers a glimpse into one of the video testimony rooms Kids Alive has already helped establish—illustrating how thoughtful design, trained professionals, and child-centered processes come together to support children within the justice system.
Looking Ahead
This cooperation agreement paves the way for future joint programs and projects that strengthen protection, expand access to justice, and improve institutional responses for children and women affected by sexual violence. It reflects a shared commitment to collaboration, professional excellence, and systems that place children at the center.
Kids Alive International is a global organization committed to walking alongside children and families through prevention, advocacy, and care. Founded in 1916, Kids Alive partners with local communities, governments, and institutions to strengthen systems that protect children and support long-term healing.
In Peru, Kids Alive operates through Niños a la Vida, working in close collaboration with justice system partners to support children affected by sexual violence. Through legal advocacy, therapeutic care, and capacity-building with professionals, Kids Alive Peru helps create safer pathways for children to access justice while prioritizing dignity, restoration, and hope.
Across all the countries where Kids Alive serves, the organization remains focused on building sustainable, locally led solutions that protect children, strengthen families, and contribute to healthier communities.
Inspired to be part of this movement for justice that heals? Learn more and explore ways to get involved at www.kidsalive.org/ways-to-give
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information about news stories like this one, please contact us at news@kidsalive.org.
Guatemala City, Guatemala — August 12, 2025 — Kids Alive Guatemala has entered into a new five-year partnership with the Guatemalan Secretary of Social Welfare to strengthen the country’s foster care system and expand family-based care for children.
The memorandum of understanding, signed on August 12, establishes a collaborative framework focused on placing children in safe, nurturing foster families and strengthening national foster care practices. Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala will work alongside the government to support foster families, equip caregivers, and help ensure children experience stability, connection, and belonging while long-term solutions are pursued.
As part of the agreement, Kids Alive Guatemala will work alongside the Secretary of Social Welfare to strengthen foster care across the national system. Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala provides online training to 100% of the families registered in Guatemala’s foster care system and offers close, ongoing accompaniment to a core group of foster families—expanding that group each year. This hands-on casework experience allows Kids Alive Guatemala to walk alongside families throughout the entire foster care process, from awareness and recruitment to placement and long-term support, helping promote stability, continuity, and quality care nationwide.
Strengthening Foster Care Through Training and Support
This partnership builds on Kids Alive Guatemala’s longstanding experience supporting foster families across the country. The organization currently provides a monthly online training program for 70 foster families registered in the national system, covering topics such as Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), caregiver-child connection, health, parenting, and practical strategies for supporting children who have experienced difficult circumstances.
Kids Alive Guatemala also offers ongoing accompaniment through social work and psychology services, supporting families before, during, and after placements, even when a child originates from another care setting. Some families have received continuous support for as long as seven years.
Based on this hands-on experience, the Guatemalan government has invited Kids Alive Guatemala to help review and strengthen the national foster care methodology, contributing to continuous improvement at a countrywide level.
A Significant Step for Guatemala’s Child-Protection System
This partnership comes at a critical time for Guatemala’s child-protection landscape. Currently, there are only two nongovernmental organizations supporting the national foster care system, and just 70 foster families are registered nationwide. Of those, 50 currently have children placed with them, with Kids Alive Guatemala directly supporting 13 families.
By equipping caregivers with practical tools and ongoing guidance, Kids Alive Guatemala has helped foster families remain engaged and provide consistent care—strengthening confidence in the foster care model and reducing unnecessary movement for children.
The agreement also reflects growing trust and collaboration between the government and Kids Alive Guatemala, including plans to transition adolescents from state care into family-based or Kids Alive residential environments designed to support healing, education, and community belonging.
A Shared Vision for Children and Families
“Being part of a foster family provides children with a safe and nurturing environment where they can develop emotional stability, receive personalized attention, and form positive bonds,” said Rosalva Alvarado, Kids Alive Guatemala Country Director. “Through this partnership, we are helping ensure children continue their education, remain connected to their communities, and experience meaningful care while long-term solutions are pursued.”
First-Year Goals and Outcomes
During the first year of the agreement, Kids Alive Guatemala and the Secretary of Social Welfare will focus on key outcomes, including:
Providing ongoing support to 20 temporary foster families, increasing from the current 13 families by 2026
Delivering TBRI® training to all 70 foster families currently part of Guatemala’s national foster care system
Providing training and ongoing accompaniment to 100% of the foster families registered in Guatemala’s national foster care system, while expanding direct, hands-on support to additional families each year to strengthen stability and quality of care.
Developing a support network with 15 local churches to help identify potential foster families and mentors
Through this partnership, Kids Alive Guatemala will continue to walk alongside caregivers, children, and government partners—strengthening family-based care and helping create pathways where children can experience safety, connection, and hope.
Reference Links
Access the local Guatemala Secretary of Social Welfare news release about this partnership by clicking here.
About Kids Alive International
Kids Alive International is a global non-profit dedicated to protecting children, strengthening families, and advocating for justice. With a presence in seven countries, Kids Alive provides holistic care that addresses not only immediate needs like safety, education, and health, but also the deeper wounds of trauma and sexual abuse.
In Guatemala, the ministry operates under the name Vida Para Niños and is recognized for its leadership in trauma-informed care, restorative justice, and advocacy for children who have suffered sexual abuse or other forms of violence. Through safe homes, foster family programs, counseling, and legal accompaniment, Kids Alive ensures that children are not revictimized by the systems meant to protect them.
The organization is committed to advancing systemic change by working with courts, governments, and local partners to embed “Justice that Heals” into legal processes. This includes creating safe spaces within court systems, training judicial personnel in child-sensitive practices, and walking with families as they pursue reconciliation and restoration.
Every child deserves to be seen, heard, and treated with dignity. Kids Alive International is devoted to making that a reality, combining compassionate care with courageous advocacy to defend the most vulnerable and restore hope for future generations.
Inspired to be part of this movement for justice that heals? Learn more and explore ways to get involved at www.kidsalive.org/ways-to-give.
For media inquiries, interviews, or more information about news stories like this one, please contact us at news@kidsalive.org.
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