Educate Bolivian Mothers to be Dental Hygienists

Smiles Forever Sizzles This Summer: Sandy heads to Switzerland to Accept International Dental Hygienist Prize

Sandy, our Founder of the Dental Hygienist School in Bolivia 16 years ago, has won a prestigious international award and will be heading to Switzerland on June 9th to accept it.  There will be a world-wide gathering of dental hygienists, many who like Sandy have been improving dental care to the 3rd world.  Both in Seattle and Bolivia the excitement is building--what a dream come true to have our sweat and toil of so many years recognized.  We are being rewarded for being pioneers.  Our school educating homeless indigenous women, including mothers, has grown to where we can branch out and serve many specialized shelters.  The model for educating hundreds to ultimately treating thousands has been thoroughly tested by Smiles Forever.  Now the world will see how it can work for them and for the lives of thousands more in other countries.

Stepping back in time--here is how it started for some of our recent students:

Shirley:  

Hello my name is Shirley and I’m 17 years old.

I just started the dental hygiene program at Smiles Forever, dental hygiene is a beautiful career, and I’ve learned a lot already and I’m going through the program so I can become a dental hygienist. Also one of my dreams in life was to become a dentist, but my family has a lot of economic problems and also social problems. Sometimes my parents doesn’t get along and fight a lot and that makes me really sad and also my little brothers.  Most of the discussions are because money. I always talk to my little brothers about positive things in life and that we have to have faith in God and I know that everything will change in our family, especially when I can work as a hygienist and help to provide.

I want to thank to all the Smiles Forever donors since they are changing my life and many other girls' lives with this program and to accomplish one of my dreams, and I promise that I will not let you down.

Love and blessings,

Shirley

Nancy:

Hello my dear friends, my name is Nancy.   I’m part of the Smiles Forever foundation dental hygiene program, a career that I never heard of before but after every day of training I love it more and more.

Economically my situation is bad and my family cannot help me to go to the university.

I have a 1 year old girl that I have to support so she doesn’t lack of anything. She is my biggest motivation. I try to work on whatever I can work on the weekends and on regular days so I can buy the things that my little one needs.

I will accomplish with my goals and dreams, and that’s why I’m here at the Smiles Forever dental hygiene program,  My parents help me with what they can, but also I have little brothers that are in school still and my parents can barely send them to school. It’s really sad just to imagine that they might need to start working and not to go to school and help in the house.

My mother is really sick and I a constant preoccupation.  Please keep supporting Smiles Forever so I can accomplish my dreams and goals in life. By working as a dental hygienist I will be able to help my mother with her medicines and to provide for my little girl.

Love,

Nancy

Geovanna:

Hi, my name is Geovanna . I’m 21 years old.

I really like the Smiles Forever clinic and I love the dental hygiene career. By receiving this education I will be able to move on with my life and will be able to help my family.

I couldn’t go to the university because my economy and my family couldn’t support me going to the university.

I live with my older brothers and my mother.  I don’t know my father since he abandoned us when I was a little girl, so I don’t remember how he looks like.

I have a one year old little girl and I work eventually since she is so little and young that I cannot leave her with somebody else.  Also, everybody works so nobody can watch her for than a couple of hours.  I have to work here and there helping in cleaning houses and other stuff since I support my baby myself. The father of my baby never wanted to recognize her as his daughter and never supported her emotionally and economically.

I will love to finish the dental hygiene career and become somebody in life and to try provide for my little baby and help my mom since she worked all her life to send us to school.  She is old and tired now and she deserves to rest.

Love to all,

Geovanna

 Introducing Smiles Forever New Board Member Virginia

Virginia has been behind the scene helping Smiles Forever both plan and execute the funding campaigns for GlobalGiving Bonus days.  Virginia has had a connection with the Shoreline Community College for over 20 years, and thus she became familiar with the trips the college made to Bolivia to help join the Smiles Forever school in operating clinics and for doing field clinics.  Virginia says, "I admire how the students find such meaningful education, and how this dental hygienist training gives back by helping so many in the indigenous community.  I became closely acquainted with Sandy and all the Smiles Forever family, and I am so impressed with the way each year the program builds.  How could I say no when Sandy asked me to serve on the board?"

Join Virginia on June 15th beginning at 6:00 a.m. Seattle time to donate on 50% Global Giving Matching Bonus Day!