Cecilia's Story

Nineteen-year old Cecilia has been involved with her local YMCA in Nicaragua for just under a year. She has watched it go from strength to strength as more young people have joined together to learn communication skills and build self-esteem.

Photo: Nile Sprague

Cecilia explains why passing on this knowledge is especially important. “We wanted to help other kids who were poor because kids who come from richer backgrounds look down on us. We realised that if we don’t value each other, no-one is going to value us.”

To promote these values and increase their self-confidence, young people at her YMCA take part in sporting activities, singing classes and workshops. Cecilia and her friends recently attended a course in beauty and makeup and she now works as a door-to-door saleswoman selling beauty products.   

As well as volunteering at the YMCA, Cecilia has received a grant to study nursing at university, and she now also trains at the local hospital two days a week. Without this grant, Cecilia knows that would have had no choice but to look for work in another country - like her father, who works as a farmer in neighbouring Costa Rica. Yet she is quick to point out that the YMCA has helped her not just materially, but mentally too. “Spiritually, my life is different…we talk and we help each other.” Cecilia hopes to get a second degree in the future to allow her to specialise in working with children.