Luena Foundation – Continuing A #LegacyofLove

Continuing a
Legacy of
Love

Lifting
Children
Up

Strengthening
Communities
From Within

TOGETHER WE CAN SHIFT THE NARRATIVE ON CHILD POVERTY

LOCAL, DIRECT INVESTMENT LEADS TO SUSTAINABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND INCREASED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES.

Our Model

We find, vet and fund projects and programs that are positively impacting children and young people at their local level.

Our Partners

We partner with local, grassroots organizations whose deep connection to their community makes all the difference.

Our Inspiration

Who was Luena? Find out how her memory is inscribed in every child we reach and how her legacy inspires everything we do.

Our Focus Areas

We focus on projects that address eight core commitments that are central to the wellbeing of children worldwide.

Our Principles

What are the core values we adhere to? Learn about our decision-making process and the ethical commitment we make to both our partners and donors.

How Can You Make An Impact?

Every gift can help to materially transform the life of a child in need. Here’s how you can start a #LegacyOfLove.

INVESTING IN CHILDREN WORLDWIDE

We partner with local change-makers who are making an impact in their communities by improving the lives of children, youth and their families

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OUR IMPACT

Since 2019, we have reached dozens of communities by helping power their efforts to implement lasting change

26

Local Partners

9

Countries Where We Work

10,000

Children Whose Lives We've Impacted

45

Communities We've Transformed Together

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PROJECT IN FOCUS

Build a Primary School in Luangkwa Valley, Zambia

We are teaming up with our local partners on the ground to construct a two-room schoolhouse for 200 early primary school-aged children living in a village bordering the Luagkwa Valley National Park in southern Zambia.

Raised: $0Goal: $8,500

50%

Let's Do It!

What Does a #LegacyofLove Look Like?

Follow us on social media for the latest on what goes on at the Luena Foundation

luenafoundation

To celebrate the birthday of Luena and her love of

We’re really proud to announce the completion of

We’re really proud to announce the completion of our WASH (water, sanitation & hygiene) project with our local partners Action For Change in Cameroon. With a $5,000 investment from Luena Foundation, they built a gender-sensitive 4 compartment latrine facility for school children in a rural community in the SW region of Cameroon. The school also gained access to clean drinking water and 80 new desks for their classrooms. More than 440 children - more than half of which are girls - were positively impacted by this project; and the efforts by Luena Foundation and Action for Change have sustainably transformed the lives of local children for the better.

#watersanitationhygiene
#unsdgs
#leavenoonebehind
#sustainability
#cameroon
#childrenofafrica
#legacyoflove

The founders of Luena Foundation donated the money

The founders of Luena Foundation donated the money to help a group of volunteers called ‘Mas Para los Chicos’ paint and improve a park for disadvantaged youth in the humble neighborhood of Los Aromos (Merlo, Province of Buenos Aires). Luis Leguizamon, who became a close friend of ours during our time in South America, along with his group of volunteers (many of which were neighborhood children) spent several weekends painting and improving the park.

Thank you Luis for your heart and desire to make the lives of those children around you better. We at Luena Foundation believe that all children - rich and poor - deserve equal access to education, healthcare, food, and more.

Besides these basic human rights, does not every child deserve the right to have a clean and safe place to play and to be a kid? We at Luena Foundation aim to help as many children as possible achieve their dreams for a better life and opportunities for their family.

💕🦄🌈💕 Vivir en corazones que dejamos at

💕🦄🌈💕 Vivir en corazones que dejamos atrás no es morir.

"The story of women's struggle for equality belong

"The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights." Gloria Steinem
#8m #iwd2021 #generationequality #niunamenos #vivasnosqueremos

Meet Marcos Denzel, a 6 year old boy who has been

Meet Marcos Denzel, a 6 year old boy who has been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor (diffuse midline glioma) and is fighting for his life. Unfortunately for Denzel, he was born in Angola where he does not have access to the specialized treatment (IMRT) that could help save his life. Denzel's story touched our hearts as the Luena Foundation was born from Luena's tragic death at the age of 11 and the gift of life that her parents gave to five other children when they decided to donate Luena’s organs.

The Luena Foundation, together with our founders and members of Luena's family have decided to: 1) fly Denzel to Sao Paolo, Brazil and 2) help pay for the life-saving treatment that he needs.

Please keep this little guy in your thoughts and prayers. We know Luena is looking over Denzel and sending him the endless love and the strength to continue his valiant fight. There are many children struggling for a better life and we urge all of you to find it in your hearts to help a child in need.

The Luena Foundation (Tax ID 83-330256) has recent

The Luena Foundation (Tax ID 83-330256) has recently been added to the list of charities on the Fidelity Charitable Account list. If you have a Fidelity Charitable Account and would like to aid our mission in helping children in need all over the world, you can now donate directly to the Luena Foundation through your Fidelity Charitable Account. We are also happy to announce that our founders and two other Board Members recently donated close to $20,000 USD to the Luena Foundation. 100% of donations go directly to helping children, as our founders cover all operational expenses and nobody associated with the Foundation receives any personal compensation whatsoever. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

Amidst all of the negative news in the world today

Amidst all of the negative news in the world today, it gives us great comfort to know that the Luena Foundation is having a positive impact on those in need. We have partnered with Action for Change, a local NGO in the small village of Muea in south-eastern Cameroon. Together with Action for Change, we are building a four-compartment toilet facility for both boys and girls; constructing desks for the local primary school; and, most importantly, we we are constructing a pipeline to bring safe drinking water to the school and their families (this project will positively impact close to 500 people).

The project leader from Action for Change sent us this message earlier today:

“Our project is advancing and there is joy and jubilation among the entire school community. To the head teacher it is like a dream. Thanks to Luena Foundation.”

The world will only become a better place through our actions and the empathy and compassion that we show to others. Our legacy will ultimately be determined by the love that we have transmitted through helping those in need.

The Luena Foundation would like to acknowledge the

The Luena Foundation would like to acknowledge the 'Kindness Squad,' an extraordinary group of 26 students at First Coast Christian School in Jacksonville, Florida. Their amazing teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Walker, started the 'Kindness Squad' in order to teach her class just how important it is to give back to those in need. Today, the 'Kindness Squad' took the $400 grant from the founders of the Luena Foundation and donated it to the Trinity Rescue Mission, one of Jacksonville's local women and children's shelter. The donation will help to feed and provide clothing and school supplies to 26 homeless children. It will also provide classes for their moms and enroll them in a work program, where they can earn their own money and eventually find a home of their own. Further, it will provide transportation to and from school for the children who live at the shelter. Furthermore, as a recognition of the important work of the 'Kindness Squad,' the First Coast Christian School has offered to generously match the Luena Foundation's donation, increasing the size of the donation to the shelter to $800 USD! We at the Luena Foundation believe that kindness is contagious and we applaud the 'Kindness Squad,' for their efforts at spreading love, compassion, and empathy for others in need.
There is nothing more vital than instilling the values of love and service in our younger generation. We are firmly convinced that the 26 members of the 'Kindness Squad' will definitely help to make the world better a place. We look forward to continue working with all of them on future projects, including a literacy project for underprivileged kids.

We are proud to announce our donation of $3,750 to

We are proud to announce our donation of $3,750 to Mazava Vent et Soleil, an association based in Madagascar. Funds will be used to build a preschool in the small rural community of Idilana and will enable local women to work to feed their families while their young children receive quality care. The local govt will be granting funding for 1-2 people from the town to work in the preschool and the town will be investing their time and energy as an in-kind contribution to help build the preschool.
While Idilana is located only 30 km from the capital Antananarivo, the majority of its inhabitants do not have electricity, have limited access to medical care, and live off of $2 a day. In addition to Luena Foundation's donation for the preschool, a large French corporation has donated several solar panels which will provide electricity for the village. Solar electricity will help to improve health, education, and economic opportunities for the families.
This will hopefully be the first of many collaborations between Luena Foundation and Mazava in Madagascar.
***
Donamos $3,750 a Mazava Vent et Soleil, un asociación con sede en Madagascar. Nuestra donación se utilizará para construir una guardería en la comunidad rural de Idilana y permitirá que varias mujeres trabajen para alimentar a sus familias mientras sus pequeños están cuidados. El gobierno local otorgará fondos para que 1 o 2 personas del pueblo trabajen en la guardería y el pueblo invertirá su tiempo y energía como una contribución para ayudar a construir la guardería.
Idilana se encuentra a solo 30 km de la capital, Antananarivo, pero la mayoría de sus habitantes no tienen electricidad, tienen acceso limitado a atención médica y ganan $2 al día. Encima nuestra donación, una empresa francesa ha donado varios paneles solares que proporcionarán electricidad al pueblo. La electricidad solar ayudará a mejorar la salud, la educación y las oportunidades económicas a las familias. Esperamos que este sea el primero de muchas colaboraciones entre LF y Mazava en Madagascar. #Madagascar #teammazava #enfantsdemadagascar #legacyoflove #legadodelamor

The founders of the Luena Foundation purchased and

The founders of the Luena Foundation purchased and donated 18 Android tablets and 250 cloth masks for the children at Colegio Nuestra Señora del Rosario in El Gastor, Spain.
Many teachers and administrators all over the world are confronted with the pressing need to migrate daily lessons and homework to the internet, yet are struggling with limited digital capacity in their communities. The pandemic has laid bare not only the effect to which we are all equipped to deal with a public health crisis, but also the gaping technological inequalities that disproportionately affect low-income families.
We at the Luena Foundation uphold the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that "children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity". At this moment in the face of a global crisis, the future of our children is at stake. We must fight like never before to uphold our moral obligation, and we are grateful to those who stand with us in our mission.
***
Los fundadores de la Luena Foundation compraron y donaron 18 tabletas Android y 250 máscaras de tela para los niños del Colegio Nuestra Señora del Rosario en El Gastor, España.
Muchos maestros y administradores de todo el mundo se enfrentan a la imperiosa necesidad de migrar las lecciones diarias y las tareas a Internet, pero están luchando con una capacidad digital limitada en sus comunidades. La pandemia ha expuesto no solo nuestra capacidad de frenar una crisis de salud pública, sino también las enormes desigualdades tecnológicas que afectan de manera desproporcionada a las familias de bajos ingresos.
Desde la Luena Foundation defendemos la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño, que establece que "los niños deben poder crecer, aprender, jugar, desarrollarse y prosperar con dignidad". En este momento ante una crisis mundial, el futuro de nuestros niños está en juego. Debemos luchar como nunca antes para cumplir con nuestra obligación moral, y estamos agradecidos con quienes nos acompañan en nuestra misión.

The founders of the Luena Foundation recently dona

The founders of the Luena Foundation recently donated resources to buy food for 110 families of high school students who attend the Madre Del Pueblo school in Villa 11-11-14 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The resources donated are also helping to buy food for the 6,000 meals per week provided by the emergency comedor (community soup kitchen) that is currently operating out of the school.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted people all over the world, but for those in developing nations, it has dramatically affected people’s entire livelihoods, threatening everything from access to healthcare, clean water, housing, food security, etc. As the economy continues to collapse under the strain of the pandemic and inflation soars ever higher, statistics collected by UNICEF indicate that more than 60% of Argentine youth will be plunged into poverty before year-end.
You can stand up and make a difference for children everywhere. Get in touch and join us. Compassion is the only way forward.
@secundaria_mdp
#covid_19 #niñosconhambre #pandemiaargentina

“We are still connected” Donation of critical

“We are still connected”
Donation of critical PPE to Oakland Children’s Hospital, April 2020. Many thanks to all the families that helped make this possible, especially to the Mills family whose hearts know no limits!!! #luenafoundation #PPE #frontlineheroes

Given the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the

Given the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the Luena Foundation, its Board of Directors and friends of the foundation are mobilizing to provide much-needed PPE (personal protective equipment) to healthcare workers on the front-lines. We have already committed to a purchase of more than 11,000 units, (N95 FFP2 surgical masks, full-body protective suits and 3-ply masks) and have the logistics in place to distribute to hospitals and clinics in southern Spain and northern California the second they arrive. Here in Spain, approximately 10,000 health professionals have already contracted the virus due to the strain on basic resources. Many doctors report that they are recycling used masks and gowns and there are reports of healthcare workers repurposing snorkel masks into protective gear. In the United States, the crisis is worsening each passing day.
We need your help to broaden our effort to reach more people who are risking their lives...please consider making a donation at www.luena.org today! YOUR GENEROSITY CAN HELP SAVE LIVES!
We are in contact with several distributors; if you would like to donate to your local hospital, please contact us at admin@luena.org for further details.
Fundación Luena, su junta directiva y amigos de la fundación están movilizando para proporcionar EPP (equipo de protección personal) para los profesionales sanitarios en el sur de España y los Estados Unidos. Aquí en España, aproximadamente 10,000 sanitarios ya han contraído el virus debido a la falta de los recursos básicos, y muchos médicos informan que están reutilizando máscaras y batas usadas y algunas incluso han convertido las máscaras de buceo en equipo de protección. En los Estados Unidos, la crisis empeora cada día que pasa.
Ya nos hemos comprometido a comprar más de 11,000 unidades, que incluyen máscaras quirúrgicas N95 FFP2, trajes de protección para todo el cuerpo y máscaras de 3 capas, y tenemos la logística para distribuir a los hospitales y clínicas en el momento en que llegan. Pero necesitamos su ayuda para ampliar nuestro esfuerzo ... por favor hagas una donación en www.luena.org! SU GENEROSIDAD AUDARÁ A SALVAR VIDAS!

Ending violence against women and girls requires w

Ending violence against women and girls requires work with boys and men. At the individual level, at the community level, at the societal level. And the fact can no longer be ignored: Femicide is a gender-based hate crime and should be criminalized as such, in every part of the world.
#8M
Poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres y las niñas requiere trabajar con niños y hombres. A nivel individual, a nivel comunitario, a nivel social. Y el hecho ya no puede ser ignorado: el feminicidio es un delito gravísimo y debe ser criminalizado como tal, en todas partes del mundo. # 8M

Hoy iniciamos nuestra campaña para la vuelta al c

Hoy iniciamos nuestra campaña para la vuelta al colegio con el objetivo de ayudar a los niños más necesitados del Gran Buenos Aires. Como todos sabemos, los precios se han disparado en Argentina y más niños que nunca están regresando al aula sin siquiera suministros básicos. Te invitamos a ti y/o tu empresa a participar donando útiles escolares para que los niños puedan comenzar cole con buen pie! Recibimos donaciones en Escuela Arco Iris, Uriburu 1220, Recoleta. @luenafoundation @escuelaarcoirisargentina @losactossolidariossecontagian #vueltaalcole #educationmatters #schoolsupplydonations #materialesescolares #educationinequality ***
Today we kick-off our back-to-school campaign with the objective of helping the most needy kids in the greater Buenos Aires area. As we all know, prices have soared in Argentina and more children than ever are returning to the classroom without even basic supplies. We invite you or your company to participate by donating school supplies so children can start their school year on the right foot. Get in touch to see how you can make a difference!

We are immensely proud to share the work of our go

We are immensely proud to share the work of our good friend and fellow Luena Foundation team member Esteban Parola and his “Payasos Sin Carpa” project. For 13 years, Payasos Sin Carpa (Clowns Without a Tent) has been committed to bringing the circus to places where the tents do not arrive. They believe that the best path towards inclusion is by generating equal opportunities, and that recreation is a right that we should all enjoy. As a business or an individual, Payasos Sin Carpa invite all those with a heart for solidarity to join their campaign and sponsor an event for underprivileged kids. #unfuncionporunasonrisa if you too would like to gift smiles and donate one of Esteban’s shows, get in touch!
#teatro #inclusionsocial #inclusionlaboral #actors #payaso #circo #adolescentes # childhood #PAYASOSSINCARPA #dignidad #art #cultura #igualdad #oportunidades

The second project that our family sponsored over

The second project that our family sponsored over the holidays in the name of the Luena Foundation was Proyecto Centro CONIN Sagrado Corazón de Jesus/Fundación Proyectos de Vida, in Hurlingham, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. The CONIN methodology aims to combat early childhood malnutrition in impoverished areas by enlisting professionals (pediatricians, nutritionists, social workers and psychopedagogues) to monitor the children who attend the center (ages 0-5) and educate their mothers on their children's nutrition and healthy early development. SJC also offers an Educational Program for children of school age and labor-training workshops for their mothers. We look forward to a continued collaboration with CONIN SJC, and if you would like to learn more about the work or make a donation, we encourage you to visit them here: http://proyectosdevida.org.ar ***
El segundo proyecto que nuestra familia patrocinó durante la temporada navideña en nombre de la Fundación Luena fue el Proyecto CONIN Centro Sagrado Corazón de Jesús / Fundación Proyectos de Vida, en Hurlingham, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. La metodología CONIN tiene como objetivo combatir la desnutrición infantil en zonasempobrecidos mediante la coordinación del un equipo profesional (pediatras, nutricionistas, trabajadores sociales y psicopedagogos) para controlar a los niños que asisten al centro (de 0 a 5 años) y educar a sus madres sobre la nutrición y el desarrollo sano de sus hijos. CONIN SJC también ofrece un programa educativo para niños en edad escolar y talleres de capacitación laboral para sus madres. Esperamos una colaboración continua con CONIN SJC, y si desea obtener más información sobre el trabajo o hacer una donación, le recomendamos que los visite aquí: http://proyectosdevida.org.ar
@centroconinscj @luenafoundation
#conin #fundacionproyectosdevida
#niñosconhambre
#prevencióndeladesnutrición #primerainfancia #nokidhungry

We are proud to present the wonderful work of our

We are proud to present the wonderful work of our friends at Proyecto Circo. Gabe, Fran and Maxi are three friends with backgrounds in social-psychology from Argentina who set out teach circus techniques and training to children in marginalized communities throughout Latin America. Our collaboration with their project brought them over the Andes to Valparaiso, Chile where they visited the kids at Ludoteca Merced/Minga Valpo. Over the course of a week, they educated their eager participants in applied street-circus disciplines including: balancing/acrobatics, slacklining, juggling, and Chinese/Diabolo yo-yo. Aided by Loreto and the incredible staff of the ludoteca, they even succeeded in incorporating a child with special needs, proving that the circus is indeed for everyone! We look forward to sharing and relating their adventures as they return to Argentina and make their way to very remote villages in Santiago del Estero and onward to the Chaco, a region that has some of the most acute levels of poverty in all of Latin America. Please take a moment to view their heart-warming photos and consider joining us at the Luena Foundation as we endeavor to make these kinds of projects a reality for children throughout the world. @mingavalpo @fcasarafael @luenafoundation #circusworkshop #proyectocirco #niñezfeliz

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News & Stories From the Field

January 8, 2019 | #LegacyofLove

Realized Efforts in Cochabamba: September – December 2018

Realized Efforts in Cochabamba: September – December 2018 We recently concluded our time in Cochabamba, Bolivia and have set out to explore

August 6, 2019 | #LegacyofLove

Luena Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Minga Valpo

The Luena Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Minga Valpo Luena Foundation is proud to announce its partnership with Minga Valpo, a registered

August 15, 2019 | #LegacyofLove

Rodrigo’s Alegría

Rodrigo’s Alegría Meet Rodrigo, an extraordinary young man from rural Bolivia who just got the opportunity of a lifetime. The Luena Foundation

September 3, 2019 | #LegacyofLove

Luena Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Fundación Pilares

Luena Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Fundación Pilares Luena Foundation is proud to announce its partnership with Fundación Pilares, a registered Argentinean non-profit

October 9, 2019 | #LegacyofLove

Sponsor a Child’s Education in Argentina With OGA

Sponsor a Child's Education in Argentina With OGA Luena Foundation is proud to announce an alliance with OGA (Old Grads Michael Ham), an Argentinean

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