Karina is a nineteen year old mother of two, aged three and two. She is married and her husband is a construction worker in their village. Her two siblings are continuing their education in other schools – University and Junior High.
Obviously very gifted in school, Karina had finished Grade Eight by the time she became pregnant at age fifteen (many students are only finishing Grade Six by then). Because of the program here at Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad, she now has a second chance to pursue her dream of finishing Grade Nine and then taking studies in accounting.
Karina’s parents are extremely happy for this opportunity and her mother is happily caring for the two toddlers while she comes to school each afternoon. Her husband, even though he only has Grade Five, is encouraging her to continue her studies as well.
Most of the girls her age already have children and have had to give up their hopes for an education. We are delighted that Karina is able to study with us. She is moving steadily through the Grade Nine course work and looks to be one of our first Grade Nine graduates. She hopes that her studies will allow her to give her children a better education in turn.
Dimas Abel Salmerón Rodriguez
Dimas is a twenty-four year old single young man who comes from a family of fourteen children. He and a younger brother are the only ones left at home. The family works hard to find odd jobs and work in the agricultural sector to make ends meet.
The economic crisis forced the closure of a maquilla (sweat shop) where Dimas was able to find work. Everyone was laid off and, because he has no schooling beyond Grade Six, he is hard pressed to find work in other maquillas.
Dimas is the first one in his family to even consider schooling beyond Grade Six. Only five of his siblings have even gotten that far. Because of the economic situation they are in, there was no chance for him to attend a public or private school. Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad offered him the opportunity to pursue a dream to finish Grade Nine that had been completely unthinkable just a couple of months ago. His mother has Second Grade and taught his father, who had no schooling, how to read and write.
Eager to learn, Dimas has had a chance in the past to study for two months in the area of mechanics, thanks to work by CPI Canada. He arrives each morning by seven cheerfully ready to continue his studies in Grade Seven. His friends and family are happily surprised at this opportunity and are encouraging him to continue.
For morning break, the other students give Dimas their orders and money and he goes and brings them baleadas (a flour tortilla with refried bean sauce, thick cream, and salty cheese). They are a great late breakfast, early lunch, supper or snack.
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