Shortly after Lupita Corena was born 11 years ago, her parents separated. They decided Lupita would stay with her father, David.

After growing up in a fatherless home, David knew that he wanted to be there for his daughter in the way that his own father never was. He promised himself from that point forward that he would never stop loving her, supporting her, educating and protecting her.

“I have always wanted to enjoy every single moment with her, since she was a little baby, because seeing a small child grow are very beautiful moments for a parent,” says David.

David’s support and protection is particularly important for his daughter because of the context in which they live.

Organized crime has grown in El Salvador and neighboring Honduras and Guatemala in the wake of civil wars, which left many people unemployed and with easy access to weapons. Heavily armed gangs now have tens of thousands of members in the three countries, where they engage in extortion, assassinations, drug trafficking, car theft, illegal gun sales, kidnappings and turf wars.

With 103 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2015, El Salvador has the highest murder rate in the world. Santo Tomás, where David and Lupita live, is among the most violent municipalities. Many children and families choose to flee, making a dangerous journey north for safety and opportunities.

Read the full article about the crisis in El Salvador at UNICEF.