By Pamela Welgan

Several years ago, my husband and I decided to make Huatulco our annual winter retreat. During one of our stays, I sought ways to connect meaningfully with the local community and discovered various charitable organizations. Serendipitously, I crossed paths with one of the founding members of Un Nuevo Amanecer (UNA), a professional care center in Huatulco dedicated to supporting children and adolescents with developmental challenges.

How It Started
An old proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Nearly 30 years ago, Flor Angélica Castillo de la Cruz, María Estela Venegas Aguirre, Dominga Sanchez Aguirre, Luz María Blanquet, and Leonardo Alcántara García took this to heart when they founded UNA. They recognized a pressing need for resources and services to support children with disabilities in Huatulco.
In those early days, these remarkable individuals, some with young children of their own, conducted village-by-village needs assessments across the Santa María Huatulco municipality. Imagine them driving a VW Beetle to remote communities to better understand and educate families about the importance of providing care for children with disabilities.
UNA’s initial funding came from the Ba’asolay Foundation. Piña Palmera, another local organization working with children with disabilities, provided medical assistance, wheelchairs, and hearing aids in collaboration with the Huatulco Rotary Club.
Over the years, UNA has partnered with government institutions and international organizations, including Indesol, Unión Europea, COPLADE, Oaxaca Public Charity, TELETON, the Harp Foundation, and Amistad Canada. Local support has come through efforts such as Blues on the Beach, spearheaded by Daniel and Sonia Thompson, and community-driven initiatives led by Vamos Huatulco and Lobos Blancos. These partnerships, along with countless dedicated volunteers, have been instrumental in UNA’s journey.

UNA Today
UNA is a registered asociación civil (a nonprofit organization permitted to receive private donations). Its full name, Un Nuevo Amanecer en Pro del Discapacitado, A.C. (“A New Dawn for the Disabled”), reflects its mission to offer hope and a brighter future to children and adolescents with developmental challenges.
In 2023, UNA reached a significant milestone: the opening of a purpose-built Child Care Center in Huatulco. This modern facility provides a safe environment for children and their families and improves working conditions for staff. Its prominent street-level location has also increased awareness of UNA’s services. (See Dan Thompson’s article, “A New Dawn for Un Nuevo Amanecer,” in the February 2022 issue of The Eye.)

Today, UNA serves approximately 150 children annually, ranging from infants as young as three months to teenagers up to 17 years old. After an initial assessment by UNA therapists, each child receives personalized interventions. Specialized medical follow-ups are often arranged in Huatulco, Oaxaca City, or Mexico City. Diagnoses include physical disabilities, hearing loss, blindness, learning disorders, ADHD, intellectual disabilities, autism, and neurological disorders.
Therapeutic interventions at UNA include speech therapy, occupational therapy, Mexican Sign Language instruction, and pedagogical support. For adolescents unable to pursue further education, workshops in independent living and cooking skills prepare them for future employment. Success stories abound—many young people have gone on to work in local resorts, restaurants, or their own communities

Supporting UNA
UNA relies on the generosity of donors, volunteers, and community support. Here’s how you can help:
Blues on the Beach
· Date: February 5, 2025
· Location: Hotel Casa Bocana, Bocana Beach
· Details: Enjoy food, drinks, and live entertainment in a stunning open-air venue. Admission by donation—$5,000 MXN per person.
· Donations can be made via PayPal: http://www.paypal.me/unnuevoamanecerhux. For Canadian tax receipts, donate through UNA’s partner, Amistad Canada: http://www.amistadcanada.org/donate.
Vamos Huatulco
· Date: January 12, 2025
· Details: Join a 5km run or 3km walk to support UNA. Register and learn more at: vamoshuatulco.org.
Apadrinar a un Niño (Sponsor a Child)
Through this program, donors commit to financially supporting a child’s therapeutic treatments with an annual donation of $15,000 MXN. This initiative targets children from the region’s neediest families who require multiple interventions. For more information, please contact UNA directly.
Get Involved
Whether you’re interested in donating, volunteering, or simply learning more, UNA welcomes your support. Visit: http://www.unnuevoamanecerhux.com.

Pamela Welgan serves as Project Liaison for UNA with Amistad Canada.