Gaspar Barán Ravinal first learned the important lessons of community and mutual support when he received sponsorship at the age of 9. His family did not have the education or the type of jobs needed to give the family more, but Ravinal had a personal goal to get ahead of the struggle.
The presence and influence of Unbound pushed Ravinal, now a social worker with Unbound’s Guatemala program, to new levels.
Over the next 13 years, he received words of encouragement from sponsorship, and the funds provided helped pay for his monthly school tuition. With persistence, Ravinal graduated from high school, an achievement that would help improve his opportunities to find formal employment.
“I dreamed of being a person with education, someone who could get ahead and defend oneself,” he said.
Ravinal understood the importance of higher education, but his dream to attend a university remained out of reach. Continued education was expensive and the campus was far from home. He also needed to remain close to his family in order to help care for his siblings and demonstrate the importance of staying in school. In a family of seven, six siblings were sponsored and five graduated from high school under his influence.
December 11, 2025 | Alumni
Serving with purpose
Former sponsored child gives back by supporting families on their paths out of poverty
By Jennifer Fox
With the support of Unbound sponsorship as children, Gaspar Barán Ravinal and several of his siblings became the first generation in their family to graduate high school, expanding their opportunities to find formal employment. Ravinal currently works as a social worker with Unbound’s Guatemala program. Above, Ravinal (seated) is pictured with Unbound Guatemala co-worker Cruz Quievac Choy as they walk to pay a home visit to families.
Moving ahead and serving others
Ravinal’s high school education allowed him to teach school in the community, but teaching did not offer steady work or pay. Nevertheless, he remained confident, knowing that God always has a plan.
“Being able to move ahead with my studies taught me how to serve, and I believe that there is no one way to give or only one way to serve,” he said.
A desire to serve led him to the mission of Unbound again, where he sought an opportunity as a social worker. In this role, he would attend to the needs of families in the community and help sponsored individuals write letters to their sponsors.
Social work fulfills a personal mission to serve and be in proximity to families in the community.
“Serving Unbound brings me great joy,” Ravinal said. “I see how Unbound changes lives, not just mine, but the lives of those in the community as well.”
Working with Unbound for more than 16 years has also allowed Ravinal to demonstrate the importance of education within his own family. His two children will soon graduate high school and embark on careers of their own.
“My dream for my children is not only that they are good people, but that they know how to serve and help others,” he said. “I would also encourage them to continue to university so that they can gain more knowledge.”
Ravinal continues to nurture his own goal of earning a college degree. As part of this dream, he would study psychology as a way to better understand and serve Unbound families with a listening ear. He also wishes to learn English.
“These families have taught me to be humble, and they are the people who motivate me to keep going,” he said. “No matter what they are experiencing, they keep going and keep fighting for their lives.
“Unbound feels like a family, and we are all a part of the family.”
Ravinal meets with a group of mothers in a community in Guatemala where he assists them with writing letters to their children’s sponsors.
Ravinal pays a home visit to Anastasia, the mother of a sponsored child.
Ravinal enjoys helping families in Unbound’s programs to get the most out of their sponsorship benefits and spends time guiding them through how to communicate their progress and gratitude to their sponsors through letters.
Being able to move ahead with my studies taught me how to serve, and I believe that there is no one way to give or only one way to serve.
— Gaspar Barán Ravinal, Unbound Guatemala social worker and former sponsored child
Unbound Regional Reporter for Guatemala Oscar Tuch contributed information and photos for this story.