Shelzy’s Story – 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, I now know I can fly.”
— Shelzy, 18 years old, Law Student
Shelzy was born 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. Despite the weight of her responsibilities, she dreamed of becoming a seamstress to support her family financially.
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 keep studying. 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 scholarship to continue her secondary education.
“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, the scholarship covered her enrollment fees, transportation, school supplies, uniforms—and even a mobile phone with internet access so she could continue her classes when schools shut down during COVID-19.
“It was my first phone. And thanks to it, I was able to finish the school year online.”
Today, Shelzy is no longer a scholarship recipient—but she is still learning. She is now in university, studying Law. She sews traditional blouses to pay for her tuition, earning around $8 per blouse, stitching each one with purpose and pride.
“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 want to sponsor a girl like me one day. Because I know what it means when someone believes in you.”
