...is to build a movement of young leaders to empower orphaned and vulnerable children in Honduras.
History of SHH
Shin Fujiyama spent his early college years at University of Mary Washington as an avid soccer player and world traveler, at one point spending nearly a year in Brasil. Meanwhile, at the College of William & Mary, his younger sister, Cosmo, spent many of her college breaks volunteering in Latin America, fighting for women's rights and teaching English in Peru and Nicaragua. In the summer of 2005, they both found themselves in Honduras.
In the city of El Progreso, they witnessed hundreds of children without adequate housing, health care, or access to education. Both came to the conclusion that they needed to help. Upon returning to their campuses, Shin and Cosmo began to advocate for change in the community of El Progreso—in particular, to benefit the children of a local orphanage and the families of the area's largest squatter community, Siete de Abril.
What began as small change collections for pens and pencils soon grew to a larger Christmas Card fundraiser to provide school uniforms and tuition. As more individuals emerged to help Shin and Cosmo meet their goals, a powerful movement of impassioned students and young professionals was born. In February 2006, Students Helping Honduras (SHH) became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Three months later, students from UMW and W&M came together to raise $148,000 to build an education center and begin sustainability projects in a local orphanage. By the same time the following year, students from five different universities had raised $285,000 to help build homes for the 72 families in Siete de Abril. That same year, SHH built a temporary structure to serve as a school in Siete.
When the brother-sister duo both graduated from college in May of 2007, they dedicated themselves to the children of Honduras. Shin postponed medical school, and Cosmo deferred a well-paying job with a masters degree. The Sunshine Lady Foundation awarded them a grant to make this possible.
Today, SHH has grown to encompass thousands of committed students from chapters at college campuses across the country. Under a growing body of leadership—which now includes students, college graduates, and accomplished professionals—SHH has brought hundreds of volunteers to Honduras since its inception. SHH will continue to work with the poorest communities in Honduras to show that students CAN make a difference.
