How it all started

My name is Tessa de Goede de Ordoñez. After studying at the Hotel Management School, it was time for me to explore the world. At the age of 20, I was completely done with school. I quickly left with my backpack to South America, where I traveled alone for seven months and did volunteer work in various places. I then lived in China for a year, spent some time in Nepal, and traveled extensively.

In 2008, I ended up in Guatemala with the main goal of improving my Spanish. Initially, the plan was to stay for just a month, but I fell in love with Guatemala, the country, the people, my work, and my salsa teacher, who has been my husband since 2010. During my stay, I started volunteering at a hospital with children born with cleft lip and palate. With my background of having a mother as a maternity nurse, I was familiar with cleft conditions and immediately felt at home. Since the mothers were not allowed to stay with the children in the hospital, my task was to feed, bathe, and dress them. I quickly became attached to these children, with their beautiful wide smiles and expressive eyes.

During that period, I was searching for my life's purpose. I discovered that there was no help available for these children in Guatemala, which broke my heart. After returning to the Netherlands, I knew for certain that I wanted to do something for these children in the future.

Once back in the Netherlands, I decided to establish a foundation. I assembled a board, created my own website, and shared my ambitious plans with everyone. My original idea was to return to Guatemala for a year to set up the project and manage it from the Netherlands. However, things turned out a bit differently... Now, 16 years later, I live and work full-time in Guatemala with the children with cleft conditions whom I fell in love with years ago. I never want to leave. This is my calling!