By Erin Fitzgerald
Each snip of the scissors and pull of the comb is proof that Cristóbal Pantucci is working for a better life.
This 22-year-old sponsorship graduate colors and cuts hair at a salon in the city of Viña del Mar, located in central Chile. At first look, it’s hard to believe poverty exists in this picturesque coastal city with its bustling hotels, beautiful beaches, endless views of the Pacific Ocean and modern amenities. But young adults like Cristóbal know all too well the poverty present in the area.
“My parents worked very hard to give me everything I needed, but it was hard,” Cristóbal explains. “However, since I was young, I didn’t notice that we didn’t have all the commodities we would have liked. When you are a child, you ask for something and hope to receive it, but when you are older you discover that everything has a cost and that you have to work to achieve goals.”
Cristóbal entered our sponsorship program at age 5. He recalls receiving medical and dental checkups, thanks to Children International. He also remembers being provided with medicine when he was sick. |
Cristóbal has been trained to cut and color hair. |
“The gifts I received were always helpful,” Cristóbal emphasizes. “Sometimes we got notebooks for school, and we would distribute them among my family so everyone could use them. The program taught me how to be responsible and how to share with others from what I received.”
While Cristóbal had parents who really cared about him, he still considers himself lucky that he remained in the sponsorship program as he grew older. According to Cristóbal, sponsorship was
The owner of the salon recently invited Cristóbal
to travel to Brazil to attend an international
hairstyling fair. |
important because it provided workshops and other activities for youth, and Children International staff truly cared about keeping youth off the streets.
“Most of [the youth] did not want to stay in the same place and live the same life of their parents, so the program was really important for them because of the opportunities it provided,” Cristóbal notes.
Fortunately with help from his parents and the government, Cristóbal was able to study and eventually become a hairstylist. One day, he hopes
to be a well-known stylist and work in a hair-color laboratory. He would also like to be able to help his family enough that his parents can stop working – his way of repaying them for everything they have given him.
With Cristóbal’s determination, there’s no doubt he will continue to work hard, coloring and cutting his way toward a more promising future. |
Reporting assistance and photos by Priscila O’Shee of our Valparaíso, Chile, agency.
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