Twin sisters, we met Maudali and Magali in a rural village in Jinotega, Nicaragua.

Though fortunate to have parents committed to their education, these girls, who were 11 years old when we met them, struggled to learn to read and write. Like numerous children in rural Central America, they attended dirt-floored, one-room schools with poorly trained teachers, lacking basic supplies, and even running water. Their parents, while employed, found it hard to afford bus fare for the girls to get to school each day.

Close to giving up on their education, these two sisters enrolled in our reading program, where they were grouped with other children with the same literacy level, regardless of age or grade. Grouping children this way is a vital component of our approach, Teach-at-the-Right-Level, which makes it so effective.

Maudali and Magali soon began to see our local community educator, Norma, a young woman from their same village, as a role model who had used her education to get ahead.

The girls continued to attend our literacy classes, starting in the third grade and continuing through the end of fifth grade, receiving more than 300 hours of instruction. At home, the girls used the family radio to listen to our literacy broadcasts and completed workbooks, which Norma collected to monitor their progress.

Maudali and Magali's hard work paid off: the sisters completed primary school, an accomplishment that many children in rural Latin America sadly fail to achieve.

In fact, girls and boys often drop out before transitioning to secondary school. That's why our community educators like Norma are so pivotal. They regularly visit  girls' homes and enroll them in our scholarship program, empowering them to set goals, plan for their future, and take charge of their reproductive health.

Now, Maudali and Magali are in secondary school, each day progressing towards a better future and setting an example for the younger girls in their village.

Thanks to the consistent generosity you give, change is truly possible.