Yenni Martínez
Founder and president who transformed personal tragedy into hope. After overcoming violence, imprisonment, and homelessness, Yenni now mentors youth in Comuna 13, creating pathways out of poverty.
Yenni Martinez, president of Sembrando Paz y Esperanza, is a community leader whose life has been marked by hardship, resilience, and service. She endured violence, abuse, loss, wrongful imprisonment, and homelessness, yet refused to let those experiences define the future of her community.
From a very young age, she understood that life in Comuna 13 was shaped by poverty and violence. Her childhood was not protected or easy, and at times she had nowhere to go but the street. Even so, she kept moving forward.
While in prison, she chose not to surrender to despair. She finished her high school education and developed skills that later became part of rebuilding her life.
When she regained her freedom, she did not focus only on her own recovery. She chose to invest in children and young people in Comuna 13, creating spaces for education, support, and guidance that could offer a path away from violence.
Today, her story stands as an example of transformation. What began as a struggle for survival became a long-term commitment to helping others find dignity, belonging, and hope.