The community of Nueva Suyapa, a Tegucigalpa neighborhood that struggles with violence and poverty, is often written off as a place that’s beyond hope. But it’s a place that many of our staff call home, and a place where we believe justice is possible.

When ASJ started working on homicide cases in Nueva Suyapa, the murder rate was sky-high and criminals walked free. We committed to walking alongside both victims and local authorities, and as a result, we’ve seen the homicide rate drop by over 75%! Not only have we seen violence drop in Nueva Suyapa, but the homicide rate in Honduras has dropped almost 50% in 7 years. Now, we’re training police and prosecutors across the country so that our justice interventions will continue to transform communities

We’re also seeing brave Hondurans standing up for change in their communities. Every week, over 70 community auditors show up to public schools and health clinics in communities like Nueva Suyapa, ensuring that their kids are getting a good education and that clinics are providing their neighbors with proper care. They refuse to let apathy set in or to think that Honduras’ problems are too big. They are active agents of hope who have taken the fight against corruption into their own hands and because of it, we’re seeing change.

Change is happening in seemingly hopeless places like Nueva Suyapa and across Honduras. Looking at the progress we’ve made and the commitment of brave Hondurans, we are convinced that if we walk together in this journey toward justice, Honduras’ future will be bright.