a dream not deferred

When Pedro Argani arrived at the UAC-CP in 2004 he chose to major in Education because he wanted to support the development of Bolivia. Today, the 2011 graduate is actively executing that dream.

UAC-CP Education graduate Pedro Argani.

For the past three years, Pedro has worked as a youth educator and advocate for a non-profit organization that serves children who live on the streets of the city of El Alto. The mission of the organization is to help young people live lives of dignity. "We believe in change; we believe in the whole person," Pedro explains.

An important part of his work is taking the time to get to know young people first--asking their names, their likes, their interests, and their dreams. "I can tell you their stories; I know who each of them are." Once Pedro develops relationships with the children, his job is to focus on finding them resources, like safe shelter and schools; hoping those he works with also will gain the benefits of education.

Pedro estimates that he and his team of four eductors support approximately 500 girls and boys per year (average ages 8-16). "The children are living on the streets most often because of violence at home--physical, emotional, and sexual. In some cases, the children are abandoned by their parents or they are victims of human trafficking."

While he loves his job and is very proud of his role to support children, Pedro admits that the work can be physically demanding and emotionally exhausting. He recalls a recent instance when a 16-year-old boy died of an overdose. "We had a very close relationship," Pedro recalls solemnly.

A native of Coroico, the mountain town located just 45 minutes from the College, Pedro says the UAC-CP was his only opportunity to study at the college level. Because of his family's very limited economic situation (his mother is a street vendor and his father is a carpenter by trade), the cost of tuition, room, board, transportation, and books in the capital city of La Paz was out of the question.

Thankfully, he was awarded a half-scholarship to pay for tuition. With good grades and behavior, he maintained his scholarship for all five years of study; financial support that Pedro says was a "huge help."

Pedro believes the UAC-CP prepared him both professionally and personally. "More than anything, the UAC-CP is where I developed as a person. The mission of the College...that is what instilled me with the values of working together and supporting the greater good. In my life and in my work," he said, "I'm committed to helping other people."

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This article is part of Carmen Pampa Fund's Annual Appeal.  If you have already made a donation to Carmen Pampa Fund this year: THANK YOU! If you haven't, please take the time to give the gift of education to other young Bolivians like Pedro.  Give today.

sister chris

I first heard of the legendary Sr. Chris Cullen nearly 10 years ago when I arrived to Carmen Pampa. Local high school graduates, UAC-CP students, Carmen Pampa community members, former visitors and volunteers, and members of the Franciscan community often told stories of a tough Irish nun who was a mainstay in Carmen Pampa. She contributed in many ways to education in Bolivia's rural area several years before the College existed. She loved sports, driving her tractor, and putting students to work.  She was tenacious and sharp, they said.

Sr. Chris pictured with UAC-CP Veterinary Science thesis student Raymundo Semo.

Though I officially met Sr. Chris (or Hermana Christina, as locals call her) for the first time a couple years ago when she briefly visited Carmen Pampa, I didn't really get to know her until she returned to the College last November 2011 and ended up staying for a year...nine months longer than she originally planned.

In the past 12 months, Sr. Chris dug in deep and took on some big projects at the College.  In fact, the same morning she arrived to Carmen Pampa (after an overnight flight from Miami and 6 am arrival to La Paz), Chris had a quick cup of coffee and was off to do repairs on the church.  Her knowledge of plumbing and electricity and general maintenance--not to mention her ability to manage student workers--launched her into a position of welcome authority at the Campus Manning physical plant. (Sr. Chris even helped move along a couple construction projects in the nearby town of Coroico--organizing UAC-CP students to complete road work that was severely behind schedule).  She also quickly became a member of the UAC-CP team--helping with dorm checks, participating in staff meetings, etc.

Sr. Chris managed students doing community service work around campus.

Observing her and her interactions with other people throughout the past year, I can confirm that the things I had always heard about Chris were true: she is tough and she does love to drive (her infamous yellow tractor has since been retired, but she gladly manuevered the Toyota Landcruiser pick-up truck around the mountainous country roads of the Yungas). She is also a sports fanatic (this past Saturday she somehow got out of the group Thanksgiving photo because she had already snuck up to see the soccer game).

But what I had never gleaned from the stories before is that Chris is unassuming and more quiet than loud--she never yells; she respectfully disagrees; she listens closely--even when you think she isn't.  Never quick to make a decision, it's obvious that she mulls things over in her head. She may seem serious and stern--and can hide smiles well--but she has a fabulous sense of humor and a gregarious laugh.  And based on the stories she told of the days when she lived through Bolivian dictatorship in the early 1980s, I also think she is brave. Her commitment to social justice and her ability to work with people is inspiring to me.

Last Friday night students and staff hosted a surprise farewell party for Sr. Chris on the College's lower campus.  Words of appreciation and admiration were shared from all sides. The College's Veterinary Department presented Chris with a vest that was signed with messages from all of her students. The most common messages? "May God bless you, Sister." and "I will miss you." I think the goodbye party was just as important for Sr. Chris as is was for the students; it allowed students to show their gratitude and admiration for a woman they dearly respect... precisely because she loves and respects them.

This morning Sr. Chris boarded American Airlines 922 bound for the U.S. unsure if she will return to Carmen Pampa sooner or later. The only certainty we have for the moment is that she will be truly missed. "Sr Chris left," a UAC-CP volunteer texted me, "I feel like the campus is empty without her voice and truck engine sound. So sad."

the great give together

What has been dubbed the Great Minnesota Give Together is the fourth annual Give to the Max Day. But it's not just for Minnesotans; it's an opportunity for people from all over the world to make donations in a 24-hour period to support Minnesota-based non-profits...like Carmen Pampa Fund.  

This year our goal is to raise $20,000 – the amount required to provide 10 full scholarships to students at the College in Carmen Pampa who demonstrate outstanding academic acheivement and extreme financial need. One full scholarship, which covers the cost of tuition, housing, and membership in the Food Cooperative Program, is $2,000 per year (or, approximately $6.50 per student per day). When you consider the cost of higher education in the U.S., the UAC-CP is providing an amazing investment in the life of a young person....and their family, community, and country.

And yet, the price is far beyond the reach of many UAC-CP students who come from subsistence farming families who struggle to meet basic needs and have no access to student loans.  For many aspiring young people, even the College's heavily subsidized tuition and food costs prohibit them from studying in Carmen Pampa...or at any other university. "If it wasn't for my scholarship," graduates frequently tell me, "I would not have been able to stay in school and graduate."

Unfortunately, the demand is great and scholarships are too few. That is why this year we decided to dedicate our Give to the Max Day to our Scholarship Partners Program Fund. All funds raised on Thursday, November 15, will be used to fund student scholarships at the College. 

Please take the time to make a donation to our Scholarship Partners Program. Gifts of any size help students--who eventually become graduates--succeed! (We have LOTS of examples--I've written about a handful of them on my blog:  Concepción Huanca, Germán Miranda, Gabriel Paco, etc...)

For more information about our Scholarship Partners Program, please read our most recent newsletter available online.