“I learned that education gives me wings. Being a woman in this society isn’t easy, but thanks to School the World’s scholarship, I now know I can fly.”
— Shelzy, 18 years old, Former School the World Scholar
"I learned that education gives me wings. Being a woman in this society isn't easy, but thanks to School the World's scholarship for middle school, I discovered I could fly much further."
— Shelzy, 18 years old, Former School the World Scholar
Shelzy grew up in Pachó Chicalté, a rural village in Santa Cruz del Quiché, Guatemala. She is the eldest of four siblings, and from a young age, her life was split between studying and caring for her family. She collected firewood, herded sheep, washed clothes in the river, and helped raise her siblings.
Her parents, neither of whom had completed primary school, always wanted a different future for her. But when she finished sixth grade, that future seemed out of reach. There was no money, no transportation, no way to continue her education.
"It didn't even occur to me to keep studying. With what money? I thought I would have to leave school for good."
Then School the World arrived in her community. During a parent training session, her mother heard a word she had never heard before: scholarship.
"Mi'ja, School the World helps you continue to básico. It's called a scholarship. You have to win it! If not, you won't be able to go to school anymore."
That simple conversation sparked a change. Soon after, Shelzy met Rosa and Kener, the leaders of the scholarship program. She was nervous as she completed the application process, hoping with all her heart. Two weeks later, she received the news that changed her life: she had been awarded a three-year scholarship to attend middle school.
"I didn't even know what a scholarship was, but when I got it, I never wanted to stop studying again. That's when I realized I could dream big."
Her path wasn't easy. She faced poverty, domestic struggles, the isolation of the pandemic, and the social pressures of being a girl with ambition in a conservative community. But her determination never faltered.
For three years (2020-2022), the scholarship covered her enrollment fees, transportation, school supplies, uniforms, and even provided her first mobile phone with internet access during COVID-19 school closures.
"It was my first phone. And thanks to it, I was able to finish the school year online."
These middle school years proved transformative. While many girls in her community stopped studying after primary school to help at home or get married, Shelzy developed academic confidence and bigger dreams.
After completing 9th grade in 2022, Shelzy's scholarship ended, but her determination had only grown stronger. Inspired by Rosa from School the World—an indigenous K'iche'-speaking professional—Shelzy found her role model. "When I met Rosa, I told myself: 'Someday, I want to be like her. I'm going to study hard and be professional like her.'"
Using her sewing skills, Shelzy began making traditional blouses, earning around $8 per garment to fund her high school education and eventually enroll at the local university in Quiché to study Law.
"Thank you School the World and to my donors who taught me the importance of education," Shelzy says with deep emotion. "I always remember you and want you to know it wasn't a waste. I managed to graduate, giving my all! Without your scholarship, I would have never continued studying—I would have looked for work in a store instead."
Today, Shelzy is no longer a scholarship recipient—but she is still learning. She continues to sew traditional blouses between classes at the university, working tirelessly toward her dream of becoming the first lawyer in her community who can serve people in K'iche', their native language.
"There are no lawyers in my community. I want to be the first and serve people in K'iche', our native language—so that they're heard. I want to defend the rights of women and animals in my village."
Shelzy is living proof that a scholarship doesn't just cover school—it can change the course of a life. It gave her the confidence and the tools to pursue a dream no one else had imagined for her.
"I aim to sponsor a girl like me one day, because now I know what it means when someone believes in you."
After experiencing being a scholarship recipient, I understand perfectly what it feels like when someone gives you a scholarship and cares about you. Being a woman in this society is not easy because spreading your wings and soaring beyond traditional expectations is uncommon. I learned from you to help those most in need—I really enjoy helping!
