Treasuring Education

Two sponsored youth make the grade in the Dominican Republic
By Kelly Nix

“Poverty is not an obstacle. There is no greater poverty than feeling weak – and there are no greater riches than knowledge.”

These words of wisdom roll from Santa Pineda’s lips as matter-of-factly as if she was a college professor lecturing her class. But Santa is no professor – instead, she’s a 20-year-old graduate of Children International’s sponsorship program in Mao, Dominican Republic.

Seated next to her at the Children International community center in Mao is Estalyn Gómez, 18, a sponsored youth who, like Santa, received a HOPE scholarship through the sponsorship program. Both

Santa dreams of opening a school of her
own in her home community of Mao.

of these young people come from desperately poor homes, but you would never guess this from the confidence that radiates from them. And the poverty of their beginnings has not limited the size of their dreams.

Through education, Estalyn is walking away from a bleak future in the banana plantations.

Estalyn, who recently graduated second in his computer class, plans to move to the capital, Santo Domingo, where he will go to college to become an electromechanical engineer.

Santa also studied computers with her scholarship and is now halfway through her own college studies. In another couple of years, she hopes to become a certified teacher.

Although Santa plans to work for a local school for a while, her real desire is to start her own school. “I want to work right here in Mao – where I grew up, where I’ve achieved everything I set out to accomplish so far,” she confides.

A real honors course

Santa and Estalyn developed their respect for education largely through the sponsorship program. Each year they looked forward to receiving school supplies and uniforms from Children International.

“My family couldn’t afford to buy uniforms,” remembers Santa. She comes from a large family, and school uniforms are mandatory in the Dominican Republic. “If we hadn’t been able to buy them, we would have had to scrounge up some old ones from somewhere...or we would have had to give up other needed things. So this was one less burden on my father.”

As for Estalyn, he shudders to think what his and others’ futures might have been like had they not had a chance to study. “If we hadn’t received help from Children International, some of us would probably have had to leave school to work on a farm as laborers. Once you go to work on a farm, your educational hopes are over…. I would have gone to work on a farm and would have handed down that legacy to my children.”

The first generation in either of their families to enjoy free access to education, Estalyn and Santa are now empowered to create a new legacy not only for themselves, but for generations to come. "There are four sponsored children in my family,” says Estalyn.

Santa and Estalyn attribute their chance at a better future to the educational help they’ve received through sponsorship.

“Every year we give the uniforms we received the year before to non-sponsored families in the community” – thus giving the gift of education to others who aren’t able to obtain supplies and attend school.

Credit where credit is due

These future success stories feel a deep debt of gratitude to the sponsors who gave them a chance at an education. “Never lose your enthusiasm for helping,” pleads Santa. “I wish you could come see for yourself the incredible work you are doing.”

“You are helping us get into the worlds of work and technology,” adds Estalyn. “If you knew how much you are helping, you would never stop.”

“And when your sponsored child graduates...” a smiling Santa adds as a footnote, “sponsor another one. There are thousands of kids who need help!”

Photos by Jennifer Spaw and Dayanara Reyes.

Sponsor a child and help another boy or girl treasure education.