Shin Fujiyama was born in Japan and came to the United States for college, but ultimately found his passion in Honduras:
During his sophomore year at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, he volunteered in Honduras with a campus group and was struck by the extreme poverty he saw — barefoot children collecting cans and sleeping in the streets. Fujiyama says he realized he could help give other children their own second chance.
Today, his organization, Students Helping Honduras, brings education and community projects to children and families in need through student service trips and fundraisers.
“Seeing the country and being able to make a difference really opened my eyes to a lot of things,” he says. “I saw such a great need. I wanted to keep helping.”
Shin now spends his summers in Honduras while his sister lives there full-time to oversee the organization’s efforts. Their mission emphasizes grassroots outreach and understands the mentality of many young people that you do not need to be a wealthy professional to effect meaningful change–and they’ve raised over $750K to prove it! To learn more about the organization check out their website.
