My story begins with Ana...
I never imagined I would leave my steady career to help children get access to schools in Nicaragua, the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
But a chance encounter with a young stranger changed my life.
In 2014, while pursuing a research fellowship on sustainable farming practices, I met Ana.
I followed my gut, “jumped off the cliff” and created Project Alianza to provide opportunities for children like Ana, who remain beyond the reach of the education system.
Twelve years old, she had grown up working on coffee farms in the campo – the isolated, rural heart of the country’s rugged central highlands.
Ana, tugging on my shirt, asked me, Are you a profesora?
Drawn to her curiosity and courage, I told her I wasn't a profesora but would try my best as a reading tutor. In the end we promised to meet outside the local well where she collected water each morning at 5:30 a.m. We met every day for two months to read, color or jump rope. Soon dozens of children joined our reading circles.
Over time, I learned Ana attended school for only two years, dropping out in second grade because her family needed her to look after her younger brother.
Ana is one of millions of school-aged children in Latin America who can’t read. The time with Ana changed who I thought I was. Her influence led me out of statistics and into stories. Out of my head and into my heart. I followed my gut, “jumped off the cliff” and created Project Alianza to provide opportunities for children like Ana, who remain beyond the reach of the education system.
Alianza, or alliance in English, lies at the core of who we are.
We are a global community that works together to improve access to education for children like Ana who live in remote communities. Our team of local women are upskilled as community educators to improve learning and retention through localized and sustainable change.
Together we've seen children read their first words. We've seen girls proudly wear their first school uniform to celebrate their first graduation. During COVID, 50,000 children turned to us for learning when they had nowhere else to go.
With your support we will create a world where girls like Ana can reach their full potential.
Thank you for being a part of our community.
