Mariela’s story has the kind of tangible, previously unimaginable milestones that are easy to celebrate and for a nonprofit like ours to highlight in a blog post like this one. BUT SINCE WE AREN’T AN ORDINARY NONPROFIT, we are going to tell you about the stuff that can’t be drilled down into stats and deliverables, too.
First, Mariela. Less than a year ago, Mariela feared for her life. With no real prospects for work and an ex who threatened her life, she was so desperate she planned to kill herself and her kids, too. She now has a degree in accounting, a full-time job, and a safe place to live. Amazing, right?
But we really want to tell you about Elena–because Mariela’s victories are inextricably woven together with Elena’s sacrifice.
With two kids and four sisters she has custody of, Mariela needed a miracle to realize her dream of going back to school. And it’s Elena who provided that miracle. By tending to each of the kids as her own, Elena filled the gap so Mariela could go back to school.
These are two women who would have seen each other as competition only a year ago. Yet the friendship they have built is exactly what we are seeing among the community here.
One woman with a talent for woodworking makes tables and beds when the others move into new places. They each help each other move and pack and build their businesses. When they get together, you can’t tell whose kid is on which mama’s lap. They are a community.
Whether you are in the first world or the third world, that is priceless.
