Ely knows her way around a computer, a cake and a page full of numbers. Determined and hard-working, she’s not one to abandon her goals. But to achieve them, she took a bumpy ride.
In Yapacani, Bolivia, children, adolescents and elders face abandonment. Many children only attend a few grades of primary school, and university? It’s often out-of-the-question.
Ely’s parents are farmers, and supporting their children’s education was hard.
Fortunately, hope arrived. Ely’s Chalice sponsor entered her life, and made the path forward a little brighter.
Through almost 15 years, he’s made a huge difference. Sponsorship meant finances were less concerning, and Ely’s parents could support schooling.
With a heaping helping of hard work and her sponsor’s support, Ely achieved an incredible milestone: university. She studied petroleum engineering, beginning the journey to a fulfilling career.
Soon, though, she faced a new challenge. Her parents couldn’t offer financial support for university any longer, and the future became uncertain.
Determined to complete her studies, Ely picked up shifts at a bakery. There, she brushed up on dessert-making techniques, and piled her schedule high with school in the mornings and work in the afternoons.
That same year, she added even more to her plate. She started evening classes in general accounting at a local institute. Armed with multiple skillsets upon graduation, she traded icing and petroleum for a career in accounting.
She’s landed a fulfilling junior position at the Yapacaní Potable Water and Sewerage Cooperative, and hopes to be hired permanently!
“I am very grateful to my sponsor, who has supported me on this long road by encouraging me to continue my studies. May God always bless him,” Ely said.
Now, she wants other children to have the same opportunities. Big dreams often come from little people, and she hopes her spot in the sponsorship program will go to another big dreamer like herself.
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