Below, one of our teammates in Bolivia shares an example of what quality education for orphaned and vulnerable young adults in Bolivia can look like—

Laura* has big dreams for her future.

With an abundance of ambitions and desires, our team connected her with a Christian psychologist who guided her through various career options. Laura decided to pursue a degree in economics.

There is only one public university in our area, and admissions are incredibly competitive. Thanks to generous support, Laura was able to enroll in classes to help prepare her for the university entrance exam. Her hard work paid off as she passed the exam and was accepted into the university.

In Bolivia, children typically live with their parents until they get married. When families are poor, they help each other out, pooling their resources to make ends meet. When a child goes to college, his or her basic needs like housing and food are typically provided by families.

“While it’s difficult for any young adult to go to college, the difficulty is exponentially greater for a young adult without the financial and emotional support of a nuclear family.”

But Laura isn’t letting her situation stop her from pursuing her dreams.

At Lifesong, we stand by a 4-part pledge to the children we serve. The third part of the pledge affirms our commitment to providing quality education to orphaned and vulnerable children to provide a foundation for their future.

In addition to school, Laura works eight hours a day, six days a week. She makes just enough money to pay for housing and food and still finds a way to put some of her earnings into savings. After a full day of work, she returns home for a quick bite to eat and musters up what little energy she has left to attend university classes. Most of her classmates are focusing solely on their studies, but Laura has the challenging task of providing for herself financially and learning to live independently, all while studying.

“Laura shows great determination and courage with every class she attends, every homework assignment she completes, and every exam she takes. In a world where she has been told she can’t because of her situation, every time she puts one foot in front of the other, she is showing the world she can.”

Therefore, our team doesn’t wait for a diploma to celebrate Laura’s accomplishments.

So many milestones are being overcome in the process that deserve to be recognized. We stand beside Laura and many other orphaned and vulnerable young adults, supporting them, encouraging them, and reminding them that with God on their side, they most definitely can accomplish the plans He has for them.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”—Jeremiah 29:11

*Names have been changed to protect the identities of the children we serve.

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