Throughout 2015, we recognized individuals and organizations from the Counterpart International family, and others, who inspire us to imagine a better future. These #50FORWARD Heroes persevere against all odds to improve their communities and people’s lives.

Sabina Yasmin

Sabina saw a problem where children’s education had ended before it even began. So she bridged the gap by single-handedly opening the first elementary school in her community.

Madam Youssouf née Hadidja

Madam Youssouf née Hadidja went from saving mothers’ lives to helping thousands of children get a better education every day. Throughout her life, Madam Youssouf has fought for vulnerable infants and children of families crippled by poverty.

Jerry Oberndorfer

Jerry spent more than two decades as part of the U.S. State Department, overseeing humanitarian aid efforts in eastern Europe and Eurasia. Driven by his passion, Jerry persistently cut through red tape, negotiated budget cuts, and formed partnerships to quickly deliver critical supplies including food and medicine to people in crisis.

Maria Pacheco

Maria helped enchance the economic wellbeing of women artisans and transform lives of indigenous communities across Guatemala and Central America. She helps more women have secure, sustainable livelihoods to build better lives and more durable futures.

Doña Manola Lima

A single mother living in a community with no employment opportunities, Doña Manola Lima seized an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty. She used her training with Counterpart to create sustainable livelihoods for herself and others – both men and women – in her community.

Sister Essah Barnabas

After more than a decade of displacement from her war-torn home, Essah returned to help others who had lived through tragedy. She counseled 1,000 people as a mental health nurse, but she didn’t stop there…

Onasis Keusen

Onasis Keusen’s community in Honduras used to be one of the most dangerous parts of the region. Violent gangs created a place where parents were afraid to send their kids to school and municipal officials did not visit because of fear for their own safety. Onasis wanted to make a change. He formed a community revitalization committee as part of Counterpart’s Impactos project, which was only the beginning to creating lasting, positive change.

He helped people believe in their community and their right to live free of violence.
Photos by Katie Yaeger Rotramel.