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College Bound





Ana Clímaco (middle) says her parents, Lidia (left) and Casimiro (right), encouraged her to continue trusting God after losing her academic scholarship. Ana became an influential volunteer with World Vision Family Sponsorship as she worked toward returning to school.


The daughter of a Salvadoran fisherman, Ana Clímaco had beaten the odds by achieving a prestigious college scholarship from the President of the Republic. Her parents had sacrificed to afford her school fees, and it looked like their hard work - and her excellent grades - had paid off.

The only drawback was that, because classes had already been filled, the only course of study open to her was a career as a computer technician- a subject that was neither a specialty nor a passion of hers.

But Ana understood that the opportunity was not one she could pass up. "Although the career was not the career of my dreams, I had to take advantage of the scholarship and study," explains Ana.

Everything seemed to be going well until her first exam scores came in. "I [can]not explain myself what happened," she says. Even though she had studied for every test, she had not achieved high enough grades. Suddenly, she no longer qualified for the scholarship.

In Ana's mind, she was returning home a failure - not only to her parents, but to her teachers, her school, and even the President of the Republic.

Ana remembers struggling to think of some way she could continue her studies. She knew that her parents were economically unable to support her, and there seemed to be no other option. "This was hard," affirms Ana. "But I did not give up."

A less determined girl might have. But her parents had instilled in her the greatest truth: God is with us. "My father and mother are excellent parents and they taught me since I was little to dream high, to struggle, and not to give up," continues Ana. "My parents have always supported me and have always told me to go ahead and to trust God because He will help me."

And so Ana returned home, but she didn't sit on her hands. Instead, she began volunteering with World Vision's Family Sponsorship program in Renacer.

Her work involved encouraging youth through activities and workshops, and creating opportunities for young adults who desired change in their own lives. "Within the community there exist problems that induce the young people to take wrong [turns] . . ." explains Ana. "We want to give a light, a way to see life from another point of view."

As a happy consequence of her decision to volunteer, she found another chance at a scholarship, this time through World Vision. "Thanks [to] God my petition for scholarship was approved," she says. "Due to this blessing I am now studying the career of my selection."

Today 19-year-old Ana is in her second year of nursing studies -with grades that reflect her passion and abilities.

This time around, the future is clear for Ana. "Personally, I am sure that I will graduate as a nurse, and I when I reach it, I want to continue donating my time," she says. "I see the work I do as a way to thank God and the [Family Sponsorship] program for the help they are giving me."
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