Students

The Scholarship program of Manos Juntas and FUNDECI has been in operation now for three years. It started with just a few selected students and has grown to current levels of support under the guidance of Carolina Espinosa. Her success rate is very high because she selects carefully and nurtures the students often during the year.

	This young man has been one of our strongest supporters. He speaks English well and serves as translator many times when my Spanish fails (common occurrence). He studies hard and encourages those less fortunate. His kindness is powerful and far reaching. Even though he is among our youngest students, he is very mature emotionally.
Aren't they beautiful? This group came to see me and to tell me of their dreams for the future. They represent many fields of study and many levels of accomplishment. Some plan to be engineers and are doing well in their studies. Some are in social areas with dreams of helping their communities upon completion. Some of the students could not be present because of the long distance required for travel.
	When I visited one of the students in her home, I was shown a thing of which they were quite proud. Her father had built a new wall on their house with money from some of her efforts. She began raising rabbits for food and had become successful with a few dollars left over for home improvement. This new wall was fairly simple and quite modest, but the pride resulting from the effort was a thing of great joy.

	This rabbit hutch is one of several used by the student in her project. The rabbits are sold to grocery stores for food. The rabbits grow rapidly and are ready for sale in a short time. The feeding and watering is handled by our young business woman with the profits going to her family. The rabbits are varieties known for rapid growth and tender meat. Since they are kept in hutches, the muscle does not get tough. They are colorful and fun to be around.
The student whose family lives here is enrolled in engineering classes and is doing well in his studies. He is immensely popular. Here his father reports to the house from the field on a common mode of transport. The farm providing the sustenance for this family is small difficult to manage. The soil is thin and full of rocks. Plowing is done by oxen power or mule power. Many times the only means of tilling is by hand and is hard on the human body in the heat and drought.
	Never have a I seen someone more eager to attend college. She had pretty much given up the dream until she was selected for a Manos Juntas scholarship. She has worked so hard with her family, but college expenses were beyond reach. Now she is thriving and sees a chance to perhaps change the horizon for her family. Even though she lives in an impoverished homestead, her faith in her abilities remain strong.

The students listed below were selected for support during the school year that has just ended. They have completed the studies successfully and will be encouraged to apply again for support for the next year. Pictures will be added as they become available.

Cristina Lucila Espinosa
Edgar Rosales
Charles Valladares
Gerald Parrales
Yader Gaitan
Rene Medrano
Maria Lisseth Espana
Karla Ortiz
Edgar Garcia
Jahaira Corrales Andino
Jessinia Corrales Andino
Marlon Torres
Angel Flores
Arelis Montenegro
Karla Patricia Lazo
Jose David Martinez
Maria Lidia Mejia
Juan Carlos Cano
Mario Arce Rios
Jhonny Masis
Jackeline Martinez
Pablo Flores
Nidia Lopez Perez
Juana Elizabeth Rodriguez
Haydeliz Rizo Mendoza
Jose Luis Galeano
Francisco Morales
Marjurie Lacayo

	The hard hats are more than just symbolism for these engineering students. Their course is not just theoretic. They are required to learn the practical aspects of engineering, also. The day I visited they were building transformers for large volumes of electricity. The heavy commercial type... These students catch a bus each Monday and commute to the campus in Managua. They return home on Friday for the weekend.
This is home, and I am sure the students bring home dirty clothes just like in the United States. The clothes are washed on a wash board by hand. There is no electricity anywhere near this humble abode. The house provides shelter from the rain. The temperature is always mild. This particular house is very close to the Pacific Ocean.
	The uniform characterizes one of the features of the school these young men have chosen. There are strict dress codes and personal appearance codes. They may wear dark jeans or navy slacks, but the shirt must be white. The back pack is issued as a part of their tuition. None of the men there have ear rings. None have long hair. While this may seem old fashioned, it suits the teachers and students quite well.

These sisters served as my hostesses 2 years ago when I first went to Chinandega after Hurricane Mitch. Maritza has four daughters in school now. Their ambition is limitless. Suje wants to be an ecologist. Jahaira is deeply enmeshed in engineering school. Their maturity and study habits are wonderful to see in action. They represent the best of Nicaragua with charm and dreams of a better tomorrow.
	A charming smile is only one of the skills this young woman must maintain as she learns English and hotel management to prepare for her chosen field of tourism. Her English is necessary because most of the tourists speak a variety of English. Actually, her English is far better than my Spanish. She said she would be our translator next year if she kept up her learning.
The students must come by FUNDECI each month to pick up their scholarship checks. They must demonstrate acceptable grades and continued attendance in class. Carolina visits with their parents and with their teachers to assure continuing merit for the scholarship support. Here a student is signing her affidavit and receipt of her monthly stipend.
	The very best performer of the bunch. He is studying chemical engineering and currently has a 95 average. He is charming and always smiling. He will complete his course of study in 2 more years. He is dedicated to scholarship and was trying to pay his own way through college by selling water and home cooked edibles to passing cars when he was selected for support. Popular to a high degree, he will surely succeed.