We are excited to introduce one of two new Para Adelante scholarship recipients – Dolores Tziná Mendoza, who will be studying Social Work in order to help others overcome their own traumas and difficult pasts. Please see her bio below.

I was born in a very humble family with strong moral principles and values, to a day laborer father and a housewife mother with no education and one of six siblings, myself being the youngest. My parents have always fought hard for the family’s livelihood.

I had to endure hunger because there was not enough money to indulge myself with regularly meals, for if we had more than one meal a day, it was barely enough for the tortillas and coffee in our home. I almost never took money for my school meal, not because my parents did not want to give me money, but simply because we did not have enough. Despite this, I did achieve my primary studies, although starving and lacking in clothes. My classmates made fun of me, because there was nothing I could offer them and I could not live with them because of my social level, because they discriminated against me.

During my childhood and my primary studies, I struggled almost daily to come up with the money for my supplies, to complete the tasks that were assigned. Every time I asked my mother for money for my work, the answer was always “There is no money” or “The money is barely enough for food” and already felt bad asking my parents for money. From there I thought about helping in the house with finances, so that this money will help me to carry out my class work. I was a child with goals, dedicated to my studies, responsible and always wanted to study and complete my studies. While going to school, I worked part time in crafting beads and embroidery and the money I earned was very helpful for the advancement of my academic training and for medicine for my sister, Josefa.

We are five siblings and my siblings have no academic training. One is a farmer, while the other two sisters are housewives, and one of my brothers is disabled. I am the youngest and the only one who continued with my studies until I graduated as a Teacher of Urban Primary Education.

I am a very different young woman in my way of thinking and I follow through and dedicate myself to my goals in life. I could say I am the light among my family, especially since we currently have two sick siblings, Josefa and Pedro. Pedro is disabled; Josefa suffers from schizophrenia and my mother, Ana, deals with sickness in her older age of 75.

In 2006, I graduated as a Teacher of Urban Primary Education where, due to scarce economic resources, I could not continue with my studies at the University because in the same year, my father passed away. This led me start a life of looking for a job to be able to take care of the needs in my home, covering the basic needs of my family and sick siblings and mother.

I am currently a daughter, single mother, student of the fifth semester of the career of Social Work, headquartered in Solola, and I study on weekends. While raising my nine-year-old son, I continue with my day-to-day struggle to become a graduate in Social Work with my primary objective of being able to contribute and be an agent of change within the community.

In 2017, to turn my hope into reality I have taken another step in my academic training at my university level and am currently entering the fifth cycle of the career of Social Work at the University of Mariano Gálvez de Sololá, department of Sololá.

I thank the Supreme Being for always being by my side and always listening to my supplications, requests, needs that I have as a human being and being my faithful friend. I ask God to pour out his blessings to the benefactors of this Para Adelante Association that will continue to guide them during the journey of their labors in this year 2019. Many Thanks!