Square blankets lie on the floor as carefully folded clothing is stacked in the center. The children gather the goods they possess and set them down carefully around the folded clothing and then slowly gather the corners of the blanket and tie a knot. Today is moving day. New, freshly painted bunk-beds await their sleeping… Read more
Gravel crunches against the backdrop of squeals of delight. Children run freely, laughing loudly. An open box, the “mobile library,” is being sorted through by eager hands and watchful eyes; books in English, French, and Creole are snagged quickly – Oh! The Places You Will Go and others of Dr. Seuss’ best picked up jovially… Read more
The sun beats down as squeals of delight pierce the air. Water splashes high as girls bravely leap up and cannonball into the cool relief of the clear pool of water. Kimberly grasps onto Olivia’s hand and they count, “uno, dos, tres. . .” as they jump high in the air and quickly submerge into… Read more
Godwin looked into the faces of the children sitting at tables waiting for their letters. They were preparing to read and respond to their sponsor letters when Reuben approached Godwin, his face set with determination, his brow drawn tight as he sought out a solution to his problem. “Uncle, how do I get sponsors?” he… Read more
Like so many orphaned and vulnerable children around the world, Leo grew up as a “social orphan” – children who have at least one living parent but whose parent(s) either cannot, or will not, care for them. “I grew up with two brothers and one sister, and we were living good in a big house. We… Read more
STINT: a short-term, international staff position lasting from 3 months up to one year My adventure to becoming a STINT-er began in the summer of 2015 when the opportunity to intern for Back2Back Cancun, seemingly, fell into my lap. I had other plans of how to spend my summer, but through a beautiful orchestration of… Read more
Neha, a Hindi word meaning love, is a quiet girl with soft, brown eyes, who watches intently as people talk and laugh around her. Receiving a smile from her is a gift – it happens slowly and is always intentional; her smile is something to be savored. At fourteen, Neha lives with nine “sisters” around… Read more
A boat, affectionately called “La Cucaracha,” cuts through Caribbean blue waves on its way to a small island near Cancun. On board, a group of young girls from throughout Cancun rock back and forth. Some carefully peer over the side, keeping their balance on their knees. Others, like Ami, grip their lifejackets dedicated to looking… Read more
Shailaja is a girl coming into her own. Shailaja is a young girl from a hard place, and when she arrived at the Hope Campus, she was quiet and kept to herself. Over time, she is beginning to use her voice in positive and friendly ways. She is a jokester who can, more often than… Read more
Tutor, a noun, meaning a private teacher, typically one who teaches a single student or a very small group, originates from the Latin word tueri meaning to watch or guard. Tutor is a word, a concept, Back2Back is very passionate about. Our sites believe deeply in the role a tutor plays in the life of… Read more