Education impact report - Summer 2024

An update on MCC Education projects

Four-year-olds Isabella Villarroel Muñoz (left) and Caleb Poichee Lima have their hands painted by Claudia Patricia Meruvia Céspedes, an educator at Samuelito Daycare, as part of an art activity.

Bolivia Syria

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A beacon of hope and stability

Education

Your gift for Bolivia's youngest and most vulnerable citizens

A portrait of two-year-old Basthian Raul Alborta Rodriguez makes a game of rolling a tire at Samuelito Daycare in Santa Cruz, Bolivia — Two-year-old Basthian Raul Alborta Rodriguez has a place where he is welcomed and belongs at Samuelito Daycare in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Your generous support means Basthian and his classmates are cared for by well-resourced teachers in a safe and stable environment. (MCC photo/Anika Bauman)

On the outskirts of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, is Samuelito Daycare — a beacon of hope and stability for 60 children from low-income families. With nutritious meals every day and a thoughtful education tailored to these little ones, Samuelito Daycare is caring for the community’s most vulnerable children – children like Basthian.

Recent turmoil in Basthian’s life, and a temporary separation from his mother, caused him to struggle and withdraw. However, with your compassionate support, the team at Samuelito Daycare provided him with a safe and stable place where he belonged, ultimately helping him navigate his emotions, show affection and re-engage with his peers.

Through your generosity, you have provided teachers’ salaries, nutritious meals and educational resources that will engage the children as they grow up, ensuring that Samuelioto Daycare remains a safe haven for Basthian and his peers.

Empowering young adults in Syria

Your support is opening doors to a better future

Nour Mardini pauses for a photo at Aleppo Development Impact and Support Center (ADISC) in Aleppo, Syria. — With the generous support of MCC donors like you, Nour Mardini and her peers have access to professional development training to help them kickstart their careers in a country rife with unemployment. (Photo courtesy of Christian Hope Center)

Living in Syria, the last 13 years of Nour Mardini’s life have been plagued by the uncertainty of conflict and seemingly unending challenges.
Armed with fierce determination, Nour completed high school, attended university and recently graduated with a degree in banking and finance from the University of Aleppo — all steps that led her closer to her dream of working at a large bank.

However, countless rejections from banks she applied to work for left her feeling like her dream was more out of reach than ever before.

“All vacancies required English and an ICDL (International Computer Driving License) certificate. However, I had to admit that I had no knowledge of the English language whatsoever. As for computers, I only knew how to play movies on them,” she explains.

That’s when Nour discovered the Aleppo Development Impact and Support Center (ADISC), run by MCC partner, Christian Hope Center. The team at ADISC builds capacity in young adults to equip them for the job market.

“Today, I am proud to say that I have developed a strong social network and a flexible personality. Most importantly, I have gained independence and am continuously striving to improve myself.”

Nour Mardini

Aleppo, Syria

In a city where the unemployment rate is over 73%, the training and skill-building that donors like you provide is invaluable for young people who strive to find a job locally and gain independence.

After graduating from ADISC, Nour felt confident and ready to re-apply for her dream job. She applied for three job openings, and to her delight, was accepted by all three.

Partner spotlight: Christian Hope Center

With the protracted crisis in Syria and ongoing economic turmoil, unemployment is high, especially for young people. MCC partner, Christian Hope Center, champions young people by investing in employment support centers — like the Aleppo Development Impact and Support Center — where they can gain the skills they need to find meaningful employment.

Give a gift of education

Education Stories

Did you know meals, bike loans and school kits can be the keys that unlock access to education?

Get a glimpse into the local communities we serve as they find innovative ways to provide their children with the education — and future — they deserve.