Luis's Story
CANFRO makes it possible for Canadians to receive charitable tax receipts for any donation to the School Sponsorship. Donations may be made in cash while in Oaxaca or through this site.
The School Sponsorship Project
in conjunction with CANFRO’s partner, The Centre of Hope for Children
Luís Eduardo Ramírez García will soon be an architect. His success is a combination of his own talent and drive, support from the Centro de Esperanza Infantíl (CEI), and his parents’ hopes for his future. “I really don’t know how they could have supported me without the help of the CEI,” he says. Without that help, “I would not have been able to study for a degree.”
CANFRO´s School Sponsorship Program, delivered at the CEI premises on Calle Crespo, supports students from low-income families in primary (grades 1 to 6), secondary (7 to 9), preparatory (10 to 12) and university/trade school.
Now on the verge of graduating, held back only by the Covid-19 shutdown, Luís hopes to find work in his area of study. Working in an architect’s office, or teaching architecture, would be fine, he says, “but I would prefer to work on individual projects.”
It so easily could have not happened. The financial assistance that sponsorship provides can make the difference for talented students like Luís. As well as the regular costs of uniforms, books, school fees, and supplies, a student reaching university graduation faces extra costs associated with professional licensing and exams, and travel to work placements. It all adds up.
As Canadian Ed Pomeroy, who sponsored Luís in his last two years of university, points out, even the extra bus fare required to circumvent Oaxaca’s frequent “bloqueos” or political road blockades, can be the tipping point for students on a tight budget. “Sometimes this stuff is so fragile or precarious. It doesn’t take a lot, but it makes a big difference,” Ed says. During his annual winter stay in Oaxaca, Ed even availed himself of Luis’ artistic talent by hiring him as a drawing teacher, a benefit to them both.
Now on the verge of taking on his professional life, Luís is looking to the future. As for his parents, he reports, “they have always been proud of my performance in school. They are happy that I am about to graduate.” And Ed is pleased to know that his sponsorship has made a difference.