Give 100 kids hope for a better future in La Paz.

 

 

Birthday: January 5th 

Luis was seven years old when we first met him. He was on his own, earning small tips by watching cars at the market. His mother had passed away, and his father was an alcoholic. Luis learned to feed himself, to dress himself, to fend for himself. School was not an option. There was no one to enroll him, and he didn’t have the money to buy the uniform or school materials he needed. Day after day, he sat in the hot sun, the pouring rain, or in the bitter cold wind, guarding cars in order to earn enough for his meals. At night he returned to the outskirts of town, where he lived with his dad in a shack without water or electricity.

 

It took time for Luis to feel comfortable enough to talk to Kaya workers. It took even longer for him to agree to come to the Kaya Center. He started to do schoolwork with the other kids to catch up on the learning he had missed. One day, when Luis was ready, we helped him buy his uniform and his backpack. He was so proud. He beamed in his new uniform and was so excited to attend his first day of school.

 

Luis has been attending school and the KayaCenter for four years now. Each year he has passed his grade. Each day, the Kaya minivan picks up Luis and takes him to school for the morning. He then comes to the Kaya Center for his lunch and to do his homework. Seeing Luis reading and writing and succeeding at school, we know that all of our effort is worth it. Thanks to this opportunity to get an education, Luis’s future is bright and full of hope. Thanks to Kaya's many supporters, Luis has hope for a better future.