Meet Sandra

10 years old and in the third grade. When the pandemic hit, Sandra was starting the 1st grade and learning how to read, write and count. But then her school closed for 2 full years!

“It felt very long. I was scared that I would never go back. Will I ever learn new things?”

When schools reopened, Sandra was so excited. But she did not realize how difficult it would be. She could no longer understand or identify letters or numbers…

“I had forgotten everything! I forgot how to read and how to add and subtract numbers. I could not speak Spanish well either. This made me more sad than schools being closed.”

Through our Successful Return to School Initiative, Sandra is being tutored 4X a week by Seño Lesvia, a tutor we hired and trained.

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“She helps me a lot with letters, numbers, reading and writing. Before it was very difficult. Now I can read and write, and I can count to 300! She even taught me how to hold a pencil properly again.

Now I feel so happy. I always want the weekends to pass quickly because I love learning with Seño!

When I travel with my mother outside of the community, I have to read signs to her on the road and in the stores because she cannot. It is almost like she is blind. I do not want that for myself.”

At 10 years old, Sandra understands the importance of education. And our new Tutoring Program is getting her caught up so that she stays in school. But we need your support to keep it running…

Please help us continue this critical program in 2023 so Sandra, and thousands of other children like Sandra, can stay in school and get caught up:

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