Higher education for indigenous students in Mexico

This summer, Gabriela graduated from college.  At the age of 27, she is the oldest student to have completed our program.  Gabriela came to us when she was 23, an age when most young people in Oaxaca who are able to attend college have already finished.  We had to make an exception to our intake as she was past the age we normally accepted students.  

Gabriela had completed high school at eighteen, but although she had dreams, she was not able to get into college.  She took entrance exams twice and was unable to get into the programs she wanted. When she was finally accepted into a program, she had no financial support to attend. So she decided to work and wait.  A family friend was elected mayor of their small town. He invited her to become the town secretary, which involves keeping the accounts for the town government.  She worked for three years during the mayor's term and was invited to take a government position with the new mayor, yet she still dreamed of going to college. With her experience, she discovered that she enjoyed accounting and wanted to pursue a degree. Her mother, who raised her and a younger brother alone, was not very supportive of her idea. Gabriela's income supplemented the family.  She was not dissuaded, and on her own, she found a program, took the entrance exam, paid her fees, and began the accounting program at the Technical College in Juchitan.  Through a friend, she found CDC and applied to our program for a room and board scholarship. Her story moved us, and we decided to give her a chance.

Four years later, she has completed her coursework in accounting.  She finished her practicum with a local office of the federal tax authority and the accounting firm that does our not-for-profit accounts.  She is now in Oaxaca City completing her six-month service project at a small firm.  She is excited about her next steps.  

Gabriela says that without CDC and those who support our program, she could have never finished school. Her mother could not give her the support she needed to live and study away from home.  With your support, another young woman had her dream come true.