A Discussion with Students from Fe y Alegría #58, Jicamarca, Lima, Peru

May 15, 2013

Background: As part of the Education and Global Social Justice Project, in summer 2013 undergraduate student Nick Dirago interviewed students who attend Fe y Alegría #58 in Jicamarca, Lima, Peru.

Luz, 16: Here the biggest challenges are that there is no running water and no electricity. They’re scarce. But in the face of this, we keep fighting. Because if there’s no running water, we’re not going to say that we’re not going to go to school or anything like that. We keep fighting. We know that our community is lower in the economy. We don’t have floors, we don’t have parks, we don’t have grass, we barely have anything. But we go… to our school and we see a new goal: I’m going to complete high school, get a scholarship, and help advance my family and the community. We live the realities here… and we are capable. With time, we’ll have running water and electricity.

Our parents have contributed a lot to this school. They come to meetings, they come to help clean… because we don’t have a cleaning service. … [Our parents] come on time and are excited to get to work.

Verónica, 16: Our parents also come to the meetings and classes that the school sometimes has in the afternoon. It’s all about our well-being. For example, once they had a discussion on sexuality, which was to introduce parents to ways to care for us and educate us on the topic of sexuality.

Orlando, 16: We’ve also learned to practice everything we’ve learned outside the school and also educate others. We’ve now received a good education, so we have to be an example for others. Bit by bit, we can help change others as well.

Mayra, 16: The teachers and Sr. Patricia have taught us many values, such as respect. We keep on practicing all of them so that we, with everything we’ve learned, can carry those values outside of the school. Our society can be very discriminatory, so we need to carry these values forward and proudly say that we are students of Fe y Alegría.

Erick, 16: One thing that we need to change is that people around here can be very conformist and not think about the future. If they have something, they think it’s fine, and they never think about having something better. Here they teach us to always look to the future and have goals, to keep moving forward.

Margarita, 16: The school has always given us opportunities. They’ve always taught us that there’s no excuse for not studying. They give us the tools and we utilize them. They’ve given us the library, sports, they help us study, we can borrow books… various tools that they’ve given us so that we excel and have the very best.

Pessly, 16: Here at this school the teachers are always by our side so that we can move forward and so that when we fall we can pick ourselves up and keep going. That way we can reach our goals.

Juan, 16: Sr. Patricia does everything she can for us, and the only thing she asks for in return is that we improve and excel ourselves.

Jackelin, 16: One of her catch phrases is “Do well, and do it well.” She motivates us to do something good for ourselves.
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