Against the Odds - Education for 230 Adults

November 5th was graduation day at Creamos! We were beyond ecstatic to celebrate with the 37 graduates whose discipline and drive brought them to this day. In a community with an average 4th grade education, this is an immense stride in the journey towards self-determination and opportunity. The students from the class of 2021 are shining examples of the power of hard work and perseverance for their children, grandchildren, and wider Creamos community. 

Lily and Angel, who have been married since 2014, decided to continue their studies together as adults in 2016. For the past five years, they have both maintained full time jobs - Lily as a hairdresser and Angel working in a warehouse - while working towards graduating with their high school diploma. We join in their joy and sense of accomplishment and are inspired by the career goals they have developed along the journey: both have plans to apply to University of San Carlos to study law. Explaining what this academic goal means to him, Angel says: “I want to study law so that my kids, first off, know that they, too, can go [to university]. And secondly,  I want to be part of change in Guatemala--to stand up for the rights of workers in Guatemala and help those who are marginalized. I want to study [law] so that I can help.”

While we applaud his and Lily’s commitment to their studies, Angel took a moment to express his gratitude for his teachers, saying, “I want to appreciate my teachers because they have shown me so much patience. There were moments when we thought about giving up but they were consistently helping us...I feel like if it weren't for this patience that they had with us, we wouldn’t be here today.” Our team of dedicated and compassionate teachers have been instrumental in these 37 graduates’ journey to success. Now that this school year has come to a close, they are taking a much-deserved break to prepare to accompany the 150+ students who have already enrolled for the 2022 academic year!