Grant Status $0 needed

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Expected Usage of Funding
Tuition:
$0
School Supplies:
$0
Textbooks:
$0
Transportation:
$0
Room & Board:
$0
Other:
$2000

Profile

"My name is Maria Ajuchan Chiviliu, and I am 17 years old. I am currently in Diversificado schooling. I live in Santiago Atitln, 15 minutes away from my school. My education is important to me, so I try to always arrive on time. My favorite classes in school are programming and computer studies, because they are very interesting and challenging. They are also important to understand for the career I want to pursue, which is systems engineering. That is one of my dreams. My other goals are to start a business that sells beaded necklaces to tourists, and to form an organization that helps poor children who work in the streets.
In my family we are six: I have two sisters and one brother. My family is very unified and we support each other through everything. My father only went to school for two years, and my mother never did. So they are excited for me to get an education, and are proud of my accomplishments. My parents have a beaded goods business on the main street in Santiago, and my father does agricultural work to make extra money.
I entered the Starfish program in 2010, after my primary-school teacher Rosa recommended it to me. I had an interview and showed them my transcripts and I was accepted. I am very grateful to be a part of Starfish because they have helped me face the challenges in my life. These include not having enough time to do my homework, and dealing with people close to me who are bad influences.
Before I began Starfish I was very shy, and I didn't participate in class. Thanks to Starfish, I am now more confident and have met more people. I've started to participate and express myself more. Before, I didn't know what self-esteem was, but now I do and I plan to teach it to others who need it. I feel stronger, better prepared to face obstacles, and more hopeful for my future.
Starfish is my second family and essential for me. I thank everyone at Starfish for their support and help. In the future, I would like to do what they do for me, for someone else."
- Maria Ajuchan
Donations to this page will cover Maria's schooling, school-supplies, transportation costs, and participation in Starfish's mentorship program for one year. The mentoring program addresses self-advocacy, financial literacy, reproductive health, leadership, and critical thinking, and is instrumental in Maria's development as an empowered woman. Help Maria break the cycles of poverty and gender-discrimination and become the first in her family to get a university degree!
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