Omar's Story

CANFRO makes it possible for Canadians to receive charitable tax receipts for any donation to The Tutor Project. Donations may be made in cash while in Oaxaca or through this site.

The Tutor Project

in conjunction with CANFRO’s partner, The Oaxaca Learning Centre

Oaxaca Learning Centre graduate Omar Rito is originally from the coastal region of Oaxaca, from the small town of San Francisco Cozoaltepec. He experienced the transformational role of the Learning Centre from both sides, as a student and as a tutor. “I took my English classes at Cambridge Academy, thanks to my sponsor at the Learning Centre. However, I also did many language intercambios at the Learning Centre to get practice and improve my fluency with native speakers. Later, I tutored at the Learning Centre both physics and chemistry for high school students, and basic math for primary school students,” he says.

His Learning Centre experience served as a launching pad for his future career paths. “Thanks to their support,“ he says, “I was accepted in the Civil Engineering program at the Technological Institute of Oaxaca, became a Civil Engineer and have worked on several projects in Oaxaca state and Yucatán.”

When job opportunities became scarce, Omar decided to change careers. In 2019 he founded a tourism service company, “Oaxaca Experience Tours,” with a focus on serving Oaxaca’s community of expats and foreign tourists. No one was expecting the 2020 pandemic, and its blow to the tourist industry. But using his entrepreneurship skills, Omar now concentrates on providing clean and safe transportation services from Oaxaca to the Mexico City airport or even to the US border for people wanting to avoid the confined space of public transportation options.

Omar credits the Learning Centre for the skills and values that serve his entrepreneurial activities. “My experience in the Learning Centre helped me acquire the qualities and skills that I use in my life every day, including my English skills and values of responsibility, humility, teamwork, and generosity. It also made possible a scholarship so that I could fulfill my dream of having professional studies.”