Lynnaya Preuss

Community Development Advocate. As a member of the Plan 7 team, Lynnaya feels blessed to have the opportunity each day to come alongside Nicaraguan families as they work towards establishing new habits that help each individual flourish. From hygiene education to promoting educational involvement, encouraging little steps that have big impact is the heart of her team's work. Lynnaya joined Amigos in 2024.

Choosing Our Path

All of us have arrived at a type of pivotal moment in our lives: Which way will I go? At the end of last year, two young ladies from the community of La Danta were tasked with answering this question. This year, they are walking confidently along their chosen paths.

Aracelys and Lissbeth are two young ladies who form part of our scholarship program, Leaders in Action. Leading up to last December, the two were in their final months of high school. With one stage of their life coming to an end and another about to begin, Aracelys and Lissbeth had a big decision to make.

For many young people in Nicaragua, the fork in the road is often this: one path is to pursue further education, and the other is to work. Because of the financial needs of their family or uncertainty about who they want to become, many teens choose to work. Frequently, the only opportunities available to work are at a small convenience store or in the fields. While it is something, it’s not a lot, and neither is it an opportunity for young people to develop who they uniquely are and how they can transform their world accordingly.

In February, Aracelys began her first year studying a degree in Social Work and Lissbeth went to her first class for her degree in Industrial Engineering.

After much personal reflection and with the support of members of the Leaders in Action team through vocational aptitude tests and advising, Aracelys and Lissbeth chose their paths:

Part of what’s so beautiful about Aracelys and Lissbeth’s decisions has to do with the role that they have played in their community. For several years, the two have been members of La Danta’s Youth Committee, helping elementary school kids to overcome academic difficulties through after-school support sessions. Their step to pursue a college degree reflects the message that they impart week after week to little ones in their community: education is valuable. The path Aracelys and Lissbeth have chosen displays their true conviction of the power of education.

Moreover, it’s evidence of the love they have for their community. Both young ladies made their decision to continue studying with the motivation to be able to positively impact others with what they learn. Beyond the support that they are already giving to kiddos to succeed in their classes, the knowledge that Aracelys and Lissbeth acquire over the course of their studies will result in transformation in the lives of many.

That’s a lot of dreams come true right there. For Aracelys and Lissbeth, the door was opened, and they were able to walk through to follow the path towards a career that matches their interests. For our team at Leaders in Action, we get to see two young ladies fulfilling their potential and growing along their journeys. And for the members of the community of La Danta and the greater Chinandega area, the ripple effect will be felt in the form of transformations in their lives resulting from the work of these two future professionals.

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