“YYGS is not like any other summer program I’ve attended. With no homework and no grades, I truly felt like I could try anything without the fear of failure.”
During YYGS, I attended a seminar called, “Harnessing the Power of Health Activism.” During the seminar, we had an assignment that made us think about an issue we would like to see resolved in our community. My proposal was to help the large Venezuelan refugee population living in the streets of Guayaquil. My brother and I created a Go Fund Me and were able to raise more than $1,100 which we used to buy lunches for the less fortunate of Guayaquil.
Our first distribution of lunches was on September 12. We donated 25 packs of lunches with two juice bags per person. Every week, we have distributed 25 lunches, making a total of more than 100 lunches distributed. Although we can’t interact with the people due to COVID, we can see their bright smiles radiating through their masks. Families’ faces light up when we deliver the food and it’s always so rewarding to see how grateful they are.
For now, this initiative is a small project run with the help of my family. In the future, I hope to use funds to equip homeless mothers with baby food and female essentials.