Carol (35) flashes a broad, happy smile and says that she is already “going to ninth”.

Carol is the mother of three children, including Keyra (15), a scholarship recipient from our Foundation. When the Foundation launched a pilot project for Juntas al Bachi 2 years ago, providing study books to mothers with sons/daughters in our scholarship program, Carol signed up. Between fear and hope. The situation at home was tough: she had no job, and due to an accident, her husband also didn’t have the possibility to work.

The link with Carol and Keyra came through our partner organization FC Sauces. Keyra is very good at soccer. In fact, she currently trains with the Saprissa sports team. When talking about her daughter, Carol’s eyes fill with pride. “She is very cheerful, sporty and hard-working.”, she nods.  “She has a good self-esteem, but she doesn’t feel ‘delicious’. And above all, she has a big heart and is very loyal.»

Starting to study was not easy for Carol. «I was a mother very young,» she says. “My eldest son is already 20 years old, at 15 I had no support from my family, which is very traditional, nor from my son’s father. I cleaned houses so I could take my son to work.

I couldn’t finish high school, but the ambition was not lost, and when she got this opportunity, she seized it with both hands. “I was scared at first, but I won the first two classes I signed up for, I kept going and then, I gained strength,” she says with conviction.

Apart from Kendall, 20, and Keyra, 15, Carol also has a 3-year-old baby. That is why she needs to be able to study when all other tasks allow it. Apart from the support of the Foundation, Carol found a teacher who gives virtual math classes for free. Anither teacher sent her English support material. Solidarity has many faces.

To pay for exams, she and Keyra started baking and selling. “Rice pudding, bread, empanadas, cookies…”, she smiles, remembering. “We sold everything.”

“48,000 colones is very hard,” she asserts. “But we went two by two with the exams. We made a piggy bank.” Math was hardest, but she studied it together with her daughter, and her husband chimed in to support and encourage her.

For Carol there is no doubt. The achievements are due to the love they have as a family. And also, a little, to the empanadas.