Kenia remembers a completely different version of La Grecia: one where clean drinking water was difficult to come by; where the use of latrines resulted in health issues for many; where the idea of leading a full, healthy, purposeful life was a dream, not a reality. Now, Kenia says, “the support, collaboration, and commitment from Amigos for Christ have allowed my family and my community to experience a true transformation, full of progress, opportunities, and well-being.”
In addition to her studies through our Leader in Action Scholarship program, Kenia has taken on the responsibility of serving on her community’s Youth Development Committee, or CDJ. Several times a week, children from across the community gather in Kenia’s yard, where she offers after-school tutoring. “This is my contribution: I get to be a light for my community by sharing my time and my knowledge with our children, the future of our community. It’s my way of paying forward everything that our family has received.”
The after-school tutoring has had as much an impact on Kenia as it has on the students. She loves seeing the kids light up when they understand something in a new way. She appreciates the trust their parents are putting in her, to teach them. “Tutoring them and serving them has been my greatest success,” she tells us.
“I believe that every small lesson learned has the potential to change a life. I believe educating others is the most noble, hopeful act we can do for a better tomorrow.”
Kenia has big dreams for herself, to finish her studies, to get a teaching job, to support her mother who has supported their family for years after the death of Kenia’s father. She has bigger dreams for her community: to build a future where every family lives with dignity, health, and well-being, with a shared commitment to grow together.
