Yesi’s story begins in Pachalí, a rural town in the heart of central Guatemala. From a humble family with limited resources, Yesi faced more than the usual challenges of studying and homework when it came to getting an education. Primary school was the highest level of education that her family could afford, and barriers to access, like transportation, posed further financial obstacles.
But doors opened to paths previously thought to be impossible when Yesi discovered the Rise Youth Development Program offered by Cooperative for Education (CoEd). “Receiving [the Rise scholarship] felt like a treasure,” she shares. With additional financial resources, Yesi no longer had to work a job to continue in school. Her aspirations of middle and high school soon became ambitions of attending university, and in 2024, Yesi earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources following her studies in Business Administration.
Yesi’s educational journey didn’t end here, though.
In 2018, CoEd posted a job opening for an assistant on the Rise Program team. Yesi was so moved by the impact CoEd left on her that she took a chance on this opportunity to support the work that impacted her own education.
”I felt that CoEd had helped me so much—especially through the scholarship—that I wanted to give something back. CoEd didn’t ask me to [apply], but I felt it in my heart.”
Once more, Yesi’s hard work and determination paved the way for her success, and she earned the position at CoEd. Nearly a decade later, she still proudly serves on the Rise team, inspiring the next generation of young women just like her.
“The biggest impact is that now I’m a professional. It’s a huge achievement not only for Guatemala, but also for Indigenous women.”
As an Indigenous woman from a rural community, Yesi was born into a combination of systemic barriers that make it incredibly challenging to overcome generational poverty. Now, as a university graduate and working professional, she represents brighter possibilities for others who share her background.
Yesi isn’t just breaking a generational cycle, she’s starting a new one. One built from empowerment and resilience against the odds. Motivated not only by hopes for her own success but for her family and community as well, Yesi says, “I’d like to motivate all students from low-income backgrounds—because that’s where I come from—to remind them that we don’t have to leave this world in the same situation we were born into. Everything depends on the personal effort we put into our lives. We all have the power to change our story and the story of future generations. No challenge is too big—it all depends on how far we want to go.”