Meet HUGS Graduates

Life hasn’t been easy for Sandra. Since she was a little girl, her mother and older brothers would tell her that studying was only for men and that her purpose in life was to marry someone rich. However, she never listened to them and kept studying hard.

She started working at a very young age, to pay for tuition and buy her own school supplies, since her family never supported her education. She always dreamt of graduating from college and finding a well paid job. Maybe someday, she’d like to have her own business too. Today, Sandra is already an Office Secretary.

Sandra

Felipe’s father left the family when Felipe was 15 and should have been entering his “career” the two last years of high school. He was the only child at home but his newly single mom could not afford to keep him in school. The career portion of school is the most expensive and Felipe had his heart set on being an electrician.

The electrical program is more expensive due to the cost of materials. When HUGS enrolled Felipe in 2022 he put his head in his hands and cried, he was so relieved. Felipe immediately wrote a letter to his donor and sponsor and translated it into English. Part of his letter stated “I will study hard and I won’t disappoint you” and he hasn’t. Felipe studied hard while working on the weekends as a waiter at a local restaurant. He graduated in Nov of 2024 and is now working as an electrician.