By Jessica Lawson | Co-Founder
Every butterfly starts as a caterpillar.
Erika joined Mariposa in 2014 with one of the first groups of girls to walk through the doors of our center. Back then, she was an oruguita, a little caterpillar, just beginning her journey. Today, she is a Mariposa alumna who embodies everything we hope for every girl in our programs: resilience, determination, and an unwavering work ethic.
Over the years, we watched Erika grow through education, mentorship, and the kind of friendships that only form in a space where girls feel safe to be themselves. Every challenge she faced became another step toward the confident leader she is today.
Where She Is Now? Erika is the manager at Mariposa's social business, Cabarete Coffee Company. She earns her own income, is raising her son with strength and independence, and has become the first literate woman in her family. This incredible milestone reflects not just her own hard work, but the ripple effect that investing in a girl's future can have across generations.
Erika's story is proof of what happens when donors like you believe in a girl long before she can see her own potential. A decade of education, mentorship, and community turned an oruguita into a leader in her family and her community. She proudly supports her family, and is writing a new story for the generations that follow her.
Thank you for helping girls like Erika become who they were always meant to be.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
