Vivian Graciela is eleven-years-old. She and her two older brothers came to Casa Shalom in 2010 after having lived on their own for nearly three years after the murder of their mother, who was a drug dealer, on Christmas Day of 2007. After her murder, the children took refuge in Guatemala City’s largest garbage dump where they scavenged for food and items to sell in order to survive. Many of their extended family members are drug dealers, and the children lived in a dangerous and violent environment. After the two boys were hospitalized for malnutrition, all three children were removed from the dump and brought to Casa Shalom, where they have developed into happy and healthy kids! Despite having never attended school before coming to Casa Shalom, Vivian is quickly advancing through elementary school and will soon be caught up to her appropriate grade level. She’s a sweet, caring young girl who is always among the first to befriend a new child at the orphanage. She loves to sing, play jump rope, and play soccer and volleyball with her friends.