It is nine o’clock in the morning and Elena is in the Safe Passage Adult Education class with a smile on her face and a pile of books in front of her that symbolize hope.

Elena is one of 12 brothers and sisters. Growing up, Elena and her siblings all worked to provide financial support for their family. Because of this, Elena did not have the opportunity to attend school.

Now, at 32, Elena is motivated to attend classes so that she can graduate. Her three children serve as her mentors and encourage her to continue studying.

“My children push me to study; they even make me to do my homework and help me to correct it!”

This is Elena’s first year of school. She is in the initial phase of the Safe Passage Adult Education Program and attends classes three days a week. She vividly remembers that when she came home after her first day of school her children were waiting anxiously to hear how she had done.

“The first day I returned from school, my three children were waiting for me at the house and asked me to see my homework to see if I had done it well!”

Elena’s eldest son, Cristian, started studying at Safe Passage in 2013. Since then, her children Juan and Gerson have also started studying at Safe Passage. Elena opened up about how it makes her feel to have all three of her children going to school: “Now I can go to work and school without worry because I am confident that my children are studying in a safe place.”

Elena knows that through education she will have more opportunities and will be able to obtain a better job. For this very reason, she encourages her children to strive daily so that when they grow up they can have better opportunities than she had.

“I feel very grateful for the help that Safe Passage has given me and my family. Because of Safe Passage, my children now have access to school supplies, food, uniforms and, most importantly, education.”

Elena’s is a story of hope, which then becomes opportunity through the power of education.

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