By Jessica Lawson | Co-Founder
Esmelada is 18 years old. She became a Mariposa at the age of 8.
In her ten years at Mariposa, Esmelada has grown into a confident, skilled young woman with a strong voice. At the Mariposa Foundation, she has learned how to swim, surf, sew, meditate, and—perhaps most importantly—how to believe in her own power.
Esmelada lives in La Ciénaga, a densely populated and very poor neighborhood where running water and electricity are never guaranteed, but noise—motorcycles, trucks, speakers—is constant. Amid the chaos of her surroundings, Esmelada has found peace in unexpected places. She's a voracious reader, loves cycling, being out on the water on a stand up paddle, singing and playing guitar. This girl is fully engaged in every single thing she does!
Esmelada is also very ambitious. She’s passionate about owning her own business one day and she’s learning how to run one at Mariposa Foundation’s very own Cabarete Coffee Company. There, she practices her English with customers, learns how to make drinks, and studies the rhythms of a small but thriving café.
She’s not just clocking hours. She’s dreaming.
“I want to run my own business one day,” Esmelada says. And with every latte poured and every conversation practiced in English, she’s one step closer.
Esmelada will graduate in 2026 and she represents everything the Mariposa Foundation stands for—resilience, joy, sisterhood, and strength. Her journey from a shy girl to a calm, confident young woman is not just a story of personal growth—it’s a story of transformation in the face of adversity.
Because when girls like Esmelada are given the tools to thrive, they don’t just survive—they thrive and lead.
Links:
By Jessica Lawson | Co-Founder
By Antarah Chopra | Executive Assistant
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
