History

1987 Edi Fellmann from Switzerland comes to Honduras as a volunteer and helps for 2 years setting up an orphanage for the organization Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos.
1989 In the neighboring village, La Venta, Edi Fellmann buys an abandoned house with the idea of setting up an orphanage of his own.
1990 After eight months, the construction work is finished, and on March 3 the orphanage opens.
At the end of the year, already five children are living at the orphanage.
1991 The project grows: the fields are planted with corn and beans for self-sufficiency; as a precaution for the dry season, a water reservoir is built; the first cow is bought and it provides the orphanage with its own dairy products.
1992 The first volunteers come to La Venta and help in the house and on the farm. The volunteers plant a garden, which provides the orphanage with fresh vegetables.
1993 After several years of construction, the electrical power project initiated by ANA comes to completion together with the village community. Finally, there is electricity in La Venta.
As we construct all the buildings of the project ourselves, a carpenter’s workshop is set up where volunteers regularly help out. Furthermore, we open a mechanic’s workshop to maintain our own vehicles.
1994 The orphanage continues to grow, and three new houses are built.
The Association “Kinder- und Jugendhilfswerk La Venta” is founded. The goal is to represent ANA in Switzerland.
1996 The orphanage accommodates up to 45 children.
We open our own Elementary School for the children of the orphanage.
1997 Armin Spichiger moves with his family from El Salvador to La Venta. He contributes to the founding and building of the vocational training workshops.
1998 Urs Marfurt from Switzerland comes to La Venta as a volunteer. Even after moving to Guatemala, he remains in charge of the sponsorship program, the donations and the public relations.
2000 On March 27, the 10-year ANA anniversary, the wedding of Edi Fellmann and Martha Castro, as well as the inauguration of the new workshops are celebrated.
The focus shifts to scholastic education and vocational training for children from poor families. 18 young adults start their apprenticeships in Carpentry and Welding.
2001 Because of the unsatisfactory level of school education of the apprentices, a state school system named Educatodos (informal education) is introduced for the Middle School. 32 students from nearby areas begin classes.
Vocational education continues to expand with new workshops for Sewing and Industrial Mechanics.
2002 More and more students are coming to La Venta. The catchment area constantly grows and is served by additional school buses.
The High School (Bachillerato) opens up with 12 students.
2005 In addition to Educatodos, the formal school system Colegio is introduced. Furthermore, there is now an apprenticeship for Computer Science. Due to lack of demand, workshops and training courses for Sewing and Carpentry are no longer offered.
2006 310 school students and 90 apprentices are attending our school and apprenticeship programs.
2007 The Bilingual Elementary School is introduced in steps. We teach 70% of the subjects in English and 30% in Spanish.
New classrooms for vocational training courses in “Hairdressing and Body Care” open their doors.
2008 Opening of the Bilingual Kindergarten.
2009 Additionally, the Bilingual Preschool is introduced.
The orphanage closes: All children are grown up, and we are able to find a home for them with relatives or friends. Over the years, the orphanage accommodated 130 children.
2010 On March 3, ANA celebrates its 20th birthday.
The bakery opens: The apprenticeship for Bakers and Pastry Chefs starts.
Renovation of streets, construction of new groundwater wells and classrooms for the Kindergarten; the basketball court gets a roof, and a community center is built.
2012 65 employees are working with ANA, and more than 600 students and apprentices attend our school and workshops. They travel up to 30 kilometers every day to La Venta on our school buses.
Construction of a new canteen and classrooms for Grade 7 and 8 starts.
2013 The Colegio (formal scholastic education) introduces bilingual classes.
Conversion of the livestock stables into an auto mechanic’s workshop and construction of an elevated crossing to the new workshops. We now also offer an apprenticeship for Auto Mechanics.
2014 The shop and the two kitchens are now run by the former employees at their own expense.
Construction of new accommodations for employees and composting toilets.
Two disused buildings are dismantled; in their place, new parking spaces are built.
2015 Four new classrooms for the Preschool and Elementary School are built.
Because of the bark beetle invasion in Honduras, half of the 112-acre forest has to be felled.
2016 ANA continues to develop: 700 students and 270 apprentices are currently enrolled.