Biography

Dinora was born in the 1970s at a tumultuous time in Guatemala’s history. There was an ongoing civil war because of growing discontent amongst the country’s indigenous and Ladino populations against the government and cultural elites. This war continued for many decades until a peace treaty was signed in 1996. Dinora stayed strong through this unrest. She studied hard to become a lawyer and notary, and later started a family. When her children were 3 and 5 years old, the father left for the U.S. and never returned. Dinora would often need to leave her children unattended when she worked to raise money for their family. 

A few years later, Dinora worked at two local orphanages. She saw how many of these children were simply abandoned and neglected by their families, and this reminded her of her own personal experience. She vowed to help these children any way she could. With the help of some friends, Dinora founded Hogar Luz de Maria in 2004. She wanted to change the future for these orphans because she believed they are the future of her beautiful country. 

Hogar Luz de Maria was founded in 2004. The orphanage provides assistance with housing, food, education, medical care, clothing, psychological therapy, legal advice, and nutritional support. The orphanage serves children ages 3-7 and includes children with special needs such as disabilities and other health conditions. The organization’s outreach and support continues to grow. In 2004, Hogar Luz de Maria worked with just 10 children, and now they have proudly served over 800 children.