Cooking Up a Path to Success in the NPH Kitchen

Karen has been with the NPH family since she was 12 years old and is pursuing her dream to be a professional cook.

Rafael Bermudez
National Director, NPH Mexico
September 26, 2023

Hola, friends,

As a child, I grew up at NPH Mexico, and the love, values, and support I received made me the person I am today. With immense gratitude, I now have the privilege of helping vulnerable children who don’t understand what they did to inherit a life of insecurity. They and their families need the same love and support that I needed—to survive and to thrive.

The happiest part of my job as National Director is witnessing amazing transformations. Knowing you’ve been a wonderful supporter of our mission, I thought I’d share this story about Karen with you. You can be assured that your support changes the lives of thousands of children like Karen (and me). When a child has the basics—a safe home, food, and loving care they can develop and “chase a dream.”

Karen came to Casa San Salvador in Mexico at age 12. In her third year in the NPH family, she had an epiphany in her NPH Mexico cooking class: she wanted to cook for a career.

Her aptitude for engineering helped her succeed in the technical and creative aspects of gastronomy. She loved learning how to work in a kitchen and watched with pride as her desserts transformed in the oven.

She works with a colleague to prepare the dough from corn grains grown on-site at the NPH Casa. The girls complete the entire process from boiling the corn, grinding it, making the dough and then feeding it into the machine. Karen also helps prepare more than 1,000 meals every day of the week, plus meals for special occasions such as graduations, anniversaries, Quinceañeras, and holiday dinners.

Karen loves making “pan bola,” a small round roll with a sweet flavor that is a favorite and traditional staple of the kitchen. Her passion and hard work will no doubt lead her to a successful career where many more people can enjoy her delicious baked goods.

Your compassion and support help NPH provide vocational and life skills to young people like Karen so they may pursue their dreams and lift themselves from the grip of poverty.

Thank you,

Rafael Bermudez
National Director
NPH Mexico

Photo above: Karen in NPH Mexico’s main kitchen.
Photos below: Karen at her high school education in 2022, working on the tortilla machine, and making tortillas.

Related Information
• NPH Mexico
• How Your Help Makes an Impact at NPH

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