This Mother’s Day, we’re honoring the many ways mothers champion education—not just for their children, but alongside them.
For some, that means building schools.
For others, it means opening their children’s eyes to the world.
For Catarina, it meant doing something she never thought possible: going back to school herself.
Catarina is 39 years old and lives in Salquil II, a rural community in Guatemala. She is the eldest of 12 siblings, and for most of her life, school was never an option.
“I never went to school. There wasn’t any money,” she shares. “I had to take care of my siblings and work from a young age.”
As a child, her days started early—feeding animals, working to help provide for her family. And every morning, she watched other children walk to school.
“My heart would ache with sadness when I saw them going. I wanted to go, but I couldn’t.”
Education wasn’t just out of reach—it was unimaginable.
Years later, as a mother herself, Catarina’s world began to shift.
Her children were in school. They were learning to read, to write, to dream about their futures.
And for the first time, Catarina saw a possibility she had never allowed herself to consider.
With the encouragement of her family—and the support of School the World’s Alternative Education program—she made a decision:
She would go back to school.
“My life changed in 2023, when I began studying,” she says. “Before, I couldn’t do anything. Now, I can read and write.”
Today, Catarina attends classes each week—sometimes alongside her husband, and always alongside her children in spirit.
“Now, I can study with my children,” she says proudly. “They are so happy that I am in school.”
She has learned to write her name—something she once could only mark with a fingerprint.
“I used to use my fingerprint to sign my name. Now I write it.”
She can read, write numbers, and solve math problems. She’s even learning to use a computer.
“It is so exciting to use the computer. It has such beautiful colors,” she says.
But beyond the skills, something deeper has changed.
Confidence. Possibility. Pride.
For Catarina, going back to school isn’t just about her own learning—it’s about what her children see.
They see their mother showing up.
They see her trying something new.
They see her refusing to let the past define her future.
And that matters.
Because education doesn’t only happen in classrooms. It happens in the choices parents make, in the example they set, and in the belief they pass on to their children.
Catarina knows her story is not unique. Many women in her community were never given the chance to study.
That’s why she shares her message openly:
“Women, no matter your age—study.”
It’s a simple statement—but a powerful one.
This Mother’s Day, Catarina’s story reminds us that supporting education can begin at any moment.
Sometimes, it means sitting beside your children and learning together.
And sometimes, it means showing them—through your own actions—that it is never too late to begin. Support mother’s like Catrina who are getting a second chance by making a donation.