In Guatemala, education is often what empowers students from low-income, rural backgrounds to defy the odds they were born into—each additional year of attending school can make a positive impact on their efforts to break the cycle of poverty. Yurleny was one of those extraordinary students who, in spite of the circumstances she faced, continued her education beyond the average of two years for rural populations.
Yurleny is from the central highlands of Guatemala in Patzún—an Indigenous city named after a Kakchiquel phrase meaning “the place of the sunflower”—where she lived with her mother and relatives as a student. With limited options for earning income, Yurleny and her mother often worked tirelessly to prepare food to sell.
The financial hardship Yurleny and her family experienced became even greater when Yurleny’s mother fell ill, forcing Yurleny to halt her schooling. “I had to abandon school after I finished middle school,” Yurleny shared. “The reason was that my mother became very ill and had to spend time in the hospital. Our economic conditions have always been difficult, but they became worse five years ago when my father passed away, and we had to sell our house. I am currently helping my mom by working with her at a food stand. We are living in this house that has been lent to us by our cousins.”
Yurleny and her mother speaking with Jennifer Jones,2022–23 president of Rotary International.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for financial hardships to cause students like Yurleny to leave school in Guatemala, where only 1 out of 10 children graduates from high school. Regardless of the bleak odds she was facing, Yurleny stayed strong and believed in herself and her dreams. She expressed, “Despite all these challenges, I haven’t lost hope of being able to study again.” Entering the Rise Youth Development Program made it possible for Yurleny to attend high school when her academic journey otherwise would have stopped after middle school.
Rise students participating in a workshop on empathy.
With Rise, Yurleny didn’t have to face her challenges alone. In addition to the financial support of her scholarship, Yurleny also had the support of her local facilitator, Lesbia. Facilitators are Rise staff members who live in or near the communities they serve and provide personalized support to every Rise student.
While recalling her first meeting with Yurleny, Lesbia shared,
“When I first met Yurleny, she caused a great impression with her great attitude and desire to continue studying despite all the challenges that she and her family have faced.
I thank God for having met her and knowing that she will be able to continue learning, chasing her dreams, and helping her family.”
The obstacles Yurleny had to overcome were daunting—especially for a young student—and nearly forced her to end her education after middle school. But thanks to the Rise Program, the supporters who make the program possible, and her own hard work and determination, Yurleny was able to return to school for more than an additional year that she otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to experience.