History

1993-1995 Alexander Valentin creates Acción Humana in Hamburg, Germany, to ensure that 100% of his donations would go directly to caring for children in poor countries. He forms a partnership with a local church in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and Hogares Manantial is built. This becomes home for approximately 30 children with a woodworking shop, metal shop and a sewing shop. Dr. Bob Walsh of Fort Lauderdale, Florida joins him in 1996 donating and shipping a yellow school bus full of supplies to the orphanage and visits San Pedro Sula for the first time. A second dormitory is built and the total number of children increases to 50+. AJC Everlasting Light Foundation is created in Florida and obtains a 501(c)3 from the IRS. Eleanor and Russell Fiset from Montreal, Canada become involved. They raise money to build a school for 200 children on the grounds of Hogares Manantial that will also serve the surrounding neighborhood children. 1998 Hurricane Mitch hits Honduras in October. Acción Humana and the AJC Everlasting Light Foundation send financial aid and four 40-foot containers of survival material. 

2000 AJC Children’s Foundation and Accion Humana cease the cooperation with Hogares Manantial, and form a new Foundation called A.H.L.E. - Acción Humana de la Luz Eterna in Honduras. It is the combination of Acción Humana and AJC Everlasting Light (Luz Eterna) Foundations. 

A scholarship program starts that allows 25 girls to continue their education beyond the 5th or 6th grade. The town of San Francisco de Yojoa located 42 miles from San Pedro Sula, up in the mountains, donates 21⁄2 acres of land to Foundación AHLE to build a new home for children. 

2001-2004 AJC Everlasting Light Foundation changes its name to the AJC CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION and the construction of AHLE begins. The project dormitories and bathrooms to accommodate between 60 and 80 children with four rooms for adult caretakers, a computer school (for graphic design), a cafeteria, an international volunteer house for professionals to visit and share their skills and two sports fields, one for soccer and one for basketball. During this time, the first 6 students graduate from high school with honors and are gainfully employed immediately, one with a specialty in hospitality and one in engineering. 

AJC Children’s Foundation has it’s first fundraising golf tournament event in 2004 and Carlos Zapata starts the backpack program with 250 backpacks collected and distributed. 

2008 A house is purchased in San Pedro Sula to use as a transition home for the boys graduating and looking for work in the city.  This property is now the Higher Education House (Casa Mercedes) for boys.

Funds are raised to start an organic food garden, and chicken coop, which initiates the creation and development of the Agricultural Program. This proves to be extremely successful with the children and allows the Foundation to supply the kitchen and share their produce with the surrounding community. 

2014 More funds are raised and a piece of agricultural land near the property is acquired. A second piece of land adjacent to the property is also purchased. 

The Music Program is created by Danny Smolley, a student from the United States that volunteered to share his love of music with the children.  Later a traditional dance/theater group is formed. 

2015 AJC starts the Higher Education Program with two boys in University, and 4 boys attending technical school to follow a career in electricity. 

With 70 children living at AHLE and an outbreak of the Zika virus, the need for an infirmary becomes a priority. Funds are raised and the construction of a medical building starts.  This will not only be an infirmary to isolate sick children but also for the volunteer medical practitioners to work. The girls higher education program starts, funds are raised and a house to accommodate them near in San Pedro Sula is purchased.

A borehole is drilled as the supply municipal water becomes less reliable due to poor maintenance.