Victorino Fund: Building Dignity, Preserving Hope
The Brother Victorino fund has two core purposes: to support capital improvements at some Lasallian education ministries, and to establish a long-term endowment to ensure future support. An anonymous donor created the fund to honor the Christian Brothers’ legacy in Cuba and their personal impact on his life. It pays tribute to Brother Victorino, one of those special Brothers who served in Cuba. The donor has identified and supports Lasallian schools in Madagascar, Peru, and Rwanda. The fund’s management is collaborative between the donor, the La Salle International Foundation (USA), and the La Salle Foundation in Rome. This initiative helps ensure that students in vulnerable communities access safe, dignified, and well-maintained learning environments, rooted in the Lasallian mission of faith, service, and community.
At the Marion Ward Center in Madagascar, deteriorating infrastructure posed daily risks to students and staff. The Victorino Fund supported a comprehensive intervention that included: replacing the school’s electrical system, which had raised safety concerns, providing sewing machines and school supplies, fostering hands-on learning and creative expression, supplying new furniture to improve classroom comfort, and offering food support to students, many of whom lacked adequate nourishment at home. This multifaceted effort ensured physical safety and addressed core educational and nutritional needs, creating a more stable and empowering learning environment.
Poor sanitation had led to the closure of essential student facilities at the Guadalupe School in Rwanda. With support from the Victorino Fund, the school fully rehabilitated 16 toilets, four showers, and four urinals, a crucial investment in student well-being. New empty tanks are in place instead of the septic tanks full of waste accumulated over the years. The defective materials placed in the first installation have also been replaced. All the materials that were already old have been replaced. Today, better hygiene and health conditions are offered to students who were once in need, directly impacting student health, attendance, and educational quality.
The fund also supported projects in Peru at two campuses within the Signos de Fe educational network—one in San Juan de Lurigancho (Lima) and the other in Trujillo. These interventions were designed to meet urgent infrastructure needs that directly affect student safety and inclusion.
In San Juan de Lurigancho, 12 dignified restrooms serving over 670 elementary students were built. One accessible bathroom to support students with disabilities was added. Outdoor hand-washing stations were installed to promote hygiene habits.
In Trujillo, a safe, synthetic grass playground for 40 kindergarten children was installed. This playground provides early childhood development while significantly reducing the risk of injury during recreation.
The Victorino Fund is deeply aligned with the Lasallian mission, a global educational movement inspired by Saint John Baptist de La Salle. The Lasallian tradition emphasizes faith, service, and community, particularly serving the most vulnerable and marginalized.
Each repaired roof, restored toilet, or safe play area profoundly affects a child’s life. If you believe in the power of education and want to help maintain and improve schools in underserved communities, you can make a difference.