educate.’s scholarship programme is at the core of what we do. This week, as we raise funds to continue our programme for the coming year, we want to share a story with you from one of our students: Shelsy Yolibeth.
Shelsy is 17 years old and is from the community of Ilama, Santa Bárbara. Before she was awarded an educate. scholarship in January 2023, she had been out of formal education for two years. Shelsy lives with her two brothers and her mother, her father having left the family when she and her siblings were very young. Though she wanted to continue her studies, economic problems combined with the effects of the pandemic led her to drop out of school in 2020. During the years she spent outside of education, she says she suffered a lot of mental health struggles and felt her life had little value.
Shelsy’s educate. scholarship has made it possible for her to re-enter the educational system, and she is now finalizing 10th grade.
When she started participating in the weekly programmes run at the educate. Youth Center (a core part of our scholarship programme, intended to support our students in their holistic development), at first she was very quiet and reserved. Now, she is one of the most active participants in our programmes. Every Saturday she attends workshops and trainings at the Youth Center, where she and her peers have the opportunity to learn, develop their talents, and receive trainings on life skills such as leadership and assertive communication. Recently, Shelsy has also become one of the leaders of our Tecnología con Propósito (Technology with Purpose) programme, leading bi-weekly I.T. classes for primary school students in the Youth Center computer lab. She is also one of the participants in our EducARTE art course, learning painting and drawing skills and developing her creativity and imagination alongside other young people from the community.
Shelsy says she feels happy to be able to come and spend time with other young people at the Youth Center, and feels it is a space where she and other youth can come and feel that their ideas and opinions are respected and valued, and where their goals and dreams are believed in. She feels lucky to be able to continue with her studies, despite the challenges involved, and while she is still two years away from graduating from high school, she is already thinking about pursuing a university degree in nursing or medicine.
Shelsy’s story, like so many others, shows the potential that educate.’s scholarship programme has to empower young people who come from areas where youth are so often marginalized from the opportunities they need to thrive. A programme and community space co-led by young people themselves, where they can learn, lead and grow, is a transformative resource.
We would love your support to continue strengthening this programme in the coming year. This week, all donations up to $50 are matched at 50% by Global Giving. Little by little, we can continue supporting Shelsy and so many others like her, breaking cycles of poverty and marginalization and supporting the creation of a new generation of rural leaders. We couldn’t be more grateful for your support
educate. 