Marisela is an ambitious 18-year-old young woman with a dream to give back to her community in Mexico. She is studying nutrition at University thanks to the support of Save the Children, with the hope of helping combat the current health crisis. Much of her community migrate, including the majority of her family who left their home to go to the United States, but she decided to stay so she can help create change in her community.
To help ensure people like Marisela can find success, the Western Union Foundation partners with Save the Children to help these young people gain the skills needed to access a decent livelihood, whether it be in Mexico or in the country of their final destination. A growing number of people in Northern Central America are being forced to flee their homes to escape violence, threats, and extortion. In addition, young people migrate to escape deteriorating conditions in their home countries in search of an opportunity to achieve a better life for themselves and their families. They want to realize educational and livelihood aspirations, improve their skills, and career prospects. Yet, when they arrive, they face multiple barriers to achieving these goals. Many of the countries they reach, including Mexico, are overstretched and lack the capacity to serve this new population. Together, the Western Union Foundation and Save the Children are addressing one of the needs of this population, ensuring they have tools, from financial literacy to socio-emotional skills, to achieve success in their new life. Marisela joined Save the Children’s program when she was in high school which inspired her to stay in Mexico and gain her degree. She notices that so many young people like her have lost their values because they are constantly facing violence and do not have support from programs like Save the Children. She is so thankful for their program as it is allowing her to attend the University where she hopes to continue influencing young people like her to never give up.
The Western Union Foundation supports people like Marisela around the world through Opportunity Beyond Borders. This is our commitment to collaborate with nonprofits around the world to provide migrants with the skills needed for better jobs and a chance at a better life. Learn more about Opportunity Beyond Borders here and follow us on Twitter for the latest news.
