In 2019, the Acronis Cyber Foundation Program embarked on a transformative journey to support the Virgen de las Gracias School. The initial phase involved constructing a safe, proper school building, marking the beginning of a new chapter for many children. In 2021, in collaboration with Climb Channel Solutions, a computer classroom was added, enhancing the school’s educational resources. By 2023, the program had further extended the school building, adding three new classrooms, toilet units, and stairs.
The new classrooms will allow the school to welcome an additional 60 students in the coming year. The Virgen de las Gracias School is dedicated to providing quality education to the poorest, neediest, and often youngest children who would otherwise be unable to study. This institution is fundamental in helping children receive an education and find educators who support their human, spiritual, and social development. Through education, these children can achieve a dignified future and break the cycle of poverty and suffering that has affected their families for generations.
Construction of the new premises was greatly supported by the students’ parents. Unskilled labor was provided by parents and volunteers from the parish community, reflecting a strong spirit of collaboration and community involvement. Also, the students’ families actively participate in the school’s upkeep by offering free services such as cleaning, maintenance, and organizing fundraising activities like meal sales and bingo nights.
Haydee Maricela Caiguaraico Nunja, the secretary and education assistant at Virgen de las Gracias, shares the unique nature of working at the school: “Working in this school is unique because it is not just a job; it is about helping the most needy children, teaching them, and building a family with them. This school is a light of hope for so many families, and it is possible to carry out this work thanks to the professionalism of all our collaborators and the help of our benefactors, who, even without knowing us, give us the possibility of having a first-class infrastructure at the service of the poorest. To every one of them, my deepest thanks and prayers.”
The Virgen de las Gracias School is more than just a school for the children; it is a safe haven that extends beyond regular school hours. The school has an extended day program that takes care of students who cannot return home after school hours because their parents are absent for work reasons or because their families are very problematic. Some children and teenagers stay at school until dinner time, and while they are there, teachers help them with their homework, organize play and learning activities, teach them personal care and hygiene, and wash their school uniforms and the clothes they wear at school. “We are almost like a family to them, and in this way, we prevent them from being unprotected and on the street after school,” says Milagros Fernanda Silva Espinoza, an extended day supervisor at the school.
One of the students, Israel Jesus Vilchez Flores, a 10-year-old who will be studying in the 5th grade, shares his story: “I live with my four siblings, two older and two younger, and my mother and her new partner. The man who is my mother’s partner does not want my mother to spend money on us because we are not his children. He hadn’t bought us notebooks or uniforms, and I thought I wouldn’t be able to go to school like my friends. When my mum talked to the school and told me that I would study there and that they would give me the notebooks, the colors, and the uniform, I was thrilled! I am thrilled to study. I have good teachers and good friends at school, and I would like to be an engineer when I grow up.”
We wish the Virgen de las Gracias School continued prosperity, good academic achievements, and bright futures for all its students. May the school continue to be a beacon of hope and opportunity for many more children in the years to come.
Acronis Cyber Foundation Program welcomes individuals, groups, and companies to partner with us to work side-by-side to support our local communities. Contact us to find out more!
