A version of this story originally appeared in our 2025 Year In Review. View the full report here.
Dayana Fuentes was among the 25% of young adults in Honduras who are trapped in limbo without a job or a marketable education.
Dayana did well in school and got good grades. But at age 19, she could neither afford to go to college, nor did she have the work experience to land a position that met her needs.
She explains, “Companies aren't quick to give you a chance if you don't have experience or the college degree they're looking for, and many of us simply don't have the opportunity to attend college at that stage.”
Although leaving Honduras has never appealed to her, many people in her shoes — including her own mother — make the difficult decision to migrate to other places in search of better opportunities.
This year, you opened a path for Dayana to start a career in her own community
Thanks to your visionary support, Dayana enrolled in a Lutheran World Relief-supported program that offered job skills training and mental health support.
Your generosity also opened the door to an internship that led to a full-time position.
Today Dayana works as an accounting assistant at a construction supply store, and she is taking online courses toward a degree in finance — an endeavor her mother started but was unable to finish.
“It’s because of my mother that I stay focused on my studies,” she says. “[Earning my degree] would truly be a dream come true for both of us.”
Your impact for youth in Honduras
This program ran from 2023-2025, and your impact was immense:
- 1,800 students received business training
- 55 internships created
- 45 interns transitioned to full-time employment
- EmpleandoMentes (Employing Minds) online training platform launched and continues to support youth career readiness
Job skills open doors to a brighter future
Gerson Ábrego, program coordinator
Gerson Ábrego served as the program coordinator for our local partner Red-ITC, a technical institute in Honduras. He reflects, “These youngsters who thought of emigrating … They're now in our country contributing to their families' economies. The private sector is now asking us if there are more graduated and trained youngsters through these internships so they can join their ranks and be a part of their companies.”
Alicia Vargas (right), HR Manager at El Baratillo Ferreteria
Alicia Vargas — the HR manager who hired Dayana at the construction warehouse — has hired more than 30 of our students because they stand out from other candidates.
“They may not have had work experience, but their life skills were much more developed,” she says. “We also saw young people with analytical skills, conflict resolution abilities and much greater adaptability to the environment.”
Why does mental health support matter? Vargas says it helps youth become better people and employees: “When young people work on … their mental health, we consider this directly proportional to the quality of their performance.”
Dayana agrees that learning emotional regulation skills has helped her both personally and professionally.
“When my mom moved, it was really tough for me,” she says. “My emotions felt like a ticking time bomb. When they started teaching us about mental health, it helped me accept things as they were, stay motivated, grow as a person and keep moving forward.
“My life changed a lot after completing the program. I gained a new perspective and a different mindset.”
Her brighter future began with you
Dayana has many big dreams for her future, and she’s working hard every day to achieve them. Thank you for giving her — and hundreds more youth in Honduras — the chance to take the first steps.