Stories of Impact

Gratitude and confidence

An only child raised by a single mother, Luisa in Guatemala was sponsored as a child and later earned an Unbound scholarship. Both were great sources of support.

“Unbound has made an impact on my life in many ways,” she said. “When I was beginning in the program of sponsorship, they helped me with food [and clothes]. In recent years, individual [bank] accounts have been worked out. Monthly, I receive my sponsor’s support.”

Luisa is close to earning her degree in elementary education with an emphasis on school administration. She also works with children who have special needs. As a scholar and a teacher, she’s passionate about her chosen field.

“Education in one´s life is really important, and I am talking not only about the [information] that education gives us but also about all that we want in life, about improving our lives,” Luisa said.

Holding onto the lessons of the past with an eye toward the future, Luisa is both confident and grateful.

“I receive support from God, Unbound, my mom, my classmates and all my family,” she said. “That gives me the energy to continue. When one is willing, one accomplishes things.”

Overcoming challenges

Students in Unbound programs around the world are facing challenges with digital learning, and some are using funds from sponsorship or scholarships to access technology.

Sponsored youth Jensen, who was in 12th grade when the COVID-19 pandemic closed his school in the Philippines, found himself restricted to home with no internet access and no computer. His local Unbound parent group offered to help.

“When we heard from our PVL [parent volunteer leader] about the possibility that we can request financial assistance from Unbound in buying a laptop for our online class, we tried that opportunity since we really need to have it for our education,” Jensen said. “Our PVL … gathered the information needed and forwarded it to our [Unbound] staff. Then, after few days, they told us to look for a laptop unit that we can buy in a store near to us. “

Jensen found a laptop that fit both his needs and his budget. He then arranged with a neighbor to pay a portion of the neighbor’s monthly Wi-Fi fee in exchange for access.

With support from Unbound, Jensen and other students have found creative solutions to access technology and meet their educational needs.

Working for a brighter tomorrow

Harriet is a university student in Nairobi, Kenya, who’s studying for a career as a purchasing manager. She’s been an Unbound scholar since high school, and her younger brother is sponsored. She also has a younger sister. 

Harriet’s mother sells second-hand clothes at the largest open-air market in Kenya, and her father runs a pharmacy in Nairobi’s Eastleigh slum. After finishing eighth grade, Harriet began to worry about having enough money for high school, and she became so discouraged she thought about quitting school. Her parents wanted her to continue, and her father got her connected with Unbound.

Harriet was able to graduate and now studies at the university level with government assistance and an Unbound scholarship. She also sells candy to help with her expenses.

Paying it forward is important to Harriet, and she credits the support she received for motivating her to want to help others.

“First, I would like to thank you so much for always being here for us, because some of us are really in need of your help and donations and we don’t take it for granted,” she said. “… If you give to us and we make good use of it, we’ll be in a position to help someone else. …”