Martha and Hernan

Hernan Alberto Flores Muñoz

Hernan is studying here at Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad along with his mother Julia. He is studying Grade 8 and Julia is studying Grade 7.

Shortly after Hernan was born, his father disappeared without a trace. His mother remarried but her new husband passed away just a few years later. Fortunately, Hernan has a brother in the States who sends money home for the family to live on.

When both of his brothers were still at home, Hernan was able to work with them planting maize and beans. Now that they are no longer at home there is very little for him to do in his village. The same problem affects most of the boys his age who have finished Grade 6.

Last year Hernan went to the Public School for Grade 7. Only two of the thirty-seven students finished the year. The rest dropped out over the course of the term, primarily because of lack of funds for school books, uniforms and transport. The current economic crisis has affected lives in many ways.

There are no books in his house so Hernan is unable to read anything which would expand his horizons. Without the Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad program he would have had to stay at home this year. He is very hopeful that the program will expand so that he can continue studies beyond Grade 9.

Hernan turned fifteen on January 3. Since we missed his birthday, we had to give him the royal bumps ten days late. The benefits of a Canadian programme are numerous.

Martha Gabriela Martinez Vasquez

Martha is nearly eighteen years old. She lives at home with her parents and one sister. Two older brothers and an older sister have married and left home. Her older sister is, however, living next door as her marriage has broken up.

Now that she is studying Grade 7, Martha has the opportunity to become the most educated member of her family. Her father, a peasant farmer, has a Grade 3 education and her mother, who works at home, finished Grade 2. Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad is offering Martha and her family the chance to have someone look to a future that holds other options for living and study.

Martha is fortunate that her family and friends are giving her encouragement. Many of her friends are already mothers but they recognize Martha’s chance to choose an alternative path and they are happy for her. Until she began school, she spent her days helping around the house without opportunity to dream or think of the future.

After Martha finishes Grade 9, she hopes to attend High School and, possibly, study accounting. After one month of classes, she is ¾ finished the first of four textbooks. If she continues at this pace, she will finish the grade in another three months.