By Rut Roman | Project Leader
It's Monday morning and the library is buzzing with unusual activity. During the weekend, the neighbors borrowed the key and decorated it. Upon entering we see a display made of balloons and flowers and the tables are arranged in a ceremonial manner with chairs socially distanced. All this fuss is due to the official high school graduation ceremony of 30 neighbors – 26 women and 4 men – who have managed to finish their secondary education. Students, their relatives and friends arrive and take their seats. The Ministry of Education officials remotely conduct the ceremony via zoom. After the formalities, some students take the microphone to bear testimony of their journey and the pride and happiness it has brought them.
Miryam (35) is the first member of her family who has managed to finish school, her beautiful and wise mother does not know how to read, her father, husband and brothers -all fishermen- managed to finish grade school. Looking towards the future, Miryam's son (13) who comes to the library daily to do his homework with the assistance of learned and respectful mentors, is learning English, ukulele and digital design.
Marce (38) is a brave and lovely neighbor who dares to openly live her life choices: during the day she goes to work as a security guard wearing her male uniform and in the afternoon, when she gets home she changes into dresses and skirts to run a small grocery store. And she still had energy to attend night school. Marce says she has found a place of respect and appreciation in the library "only here, when I met the volunteers who come from all over the world, did I find people who told me that I am admirable for living as I live, and … maybe they're right!."
The intense school work, with homework, presentations and special projects, lasted three years during which the neighbors wove networks of solidarity and study in the library and in the neighborhood. When one of them faltered because she had too much work or because her spouse objected, they all went to visit her, to support her with her tasks or simply to listen to her difficulties, share their situations and encourage each other to move on.
In the midst of the pandemic, classes continued remotely. When they were asked to think about their graduation research papers, they turned -once again- to the library. Here the international volunteers and we, the locals, helped them with their research processes, organizing ideas and academic writing. It was a shared effort that left us exhausted but brought us even closer.
Today, we celebrate this grand achievement of those who invested their time and energy in their education; these splendid and brave women who open doors for their children and signal the way to all those around them.
We are especially proud to have offered a safe, friendly and constant place where these neighbors and all who want to consult a topic, ask for support, print their homework or talk about their school problems can come.
Congratulations to all for your perseverance and might!
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