THUNDER BAY – In the 1970’s El Salvador was brutalized by a civil war that saw 60,000 citizens murdered.
To escape the violence 14-year-old Cecilia Huezo and her family fled to Thunder Bay as refugees.
Huezo will shared her story during a Medical Equipment Modernization Opportunities fundraiser Friday and spoke about bringing health and hope back into the Tutulepeque community of El Salvador with the help of MEMO.
“I’m honoured that I could be part of this fundraiser,” Huezo said. "I think MEMO is a great organization that is helping out, impacting and making huge dents in the world with people that are in need.”
About six years ago she returned to the remote region she escaped as a young girl to help give back to her community.
Using her own finances, and help from Canadians, she has built a successful community development centre and program in El Salvador.
“One of my main motivations was the fact that I could identify with the children,” Heuzo said.
“I was one of those kids that I now work with, I could identify with their poverty level, with the lack of resources, with many things, and I see myself in all of those kids.”
Heuzo added that she is going to do everything God allows her to do in reaching out to them.
During her time in El Salvador, she has developed tutoring programs for struggling school children, as well as running soccer and baseball recreational activities for the community.
Her help goes beyond the children of Tutulepeque, Heuzo has also provided math and literacy classes for illiterate farm wives, and sewing classes to provide ongoing income for families in need.
“It’s interesting to go back to my own community, to where I was born and raised, and many people saw me grow up there,” Heuzo said.
“I almost didn’t want to go back there, I wanted to go somewhere else in El Salvador, but God lead me to that particular community for a reason.”
She added the community is filled with her family members, so it’s an honour to give back to her family as well as being involved in the community.
For three years, MEMO founder Dr. Jerome Harvey, has been shipping recycled hospital supplies to El Salvador for Huezo to put to good use.
“We supply her logistically with things she requires for her community development project in El Salvador,” Harvey said.
“We’ve shipped probably about four or five containers, everything from furniture for the community centre to an ambulance from Northwestern Ontario.”
Harvey added only 43 per cent of people in Tutulepeque have medical care, and that was a big reason for all the shipments.
