Profiles in Empowerment/ Josseling Elvira Quiroz interview with Jeaneth Gutierrez
How long have you been in Empowerment and what has been your experience in the program?
I’ve been involved with Empowerment International for 11 years, and my experience in Empowerment has been incredible, unique in every way. During my time at Empowerment I have learned a lot, from turning a computer on and off to taking pictures with a professional camera. Empowerment has been and continues to be like my second home, being a part of the organization has instilled me with very good values, and has educated me well.
Empowerment has opened many doors for me, doors that I thought I would never be able to open, but Empowerment has given me the keys and it has depended on me to open all those doors without letting them close. I owe so much to Empowerment that thanks alone is not enough. I want to pay Empowerment with my triumphs, with my college degrees, with a doctorate, to have a good job to support this organization, so that after me there are many more young people having their best experiences within this organization or rather the great family that is Empowerment.
During the years that I have been in Empowerment I have supported the programs of tutoring, dance, photography, art, sports, and the program that I have identified with most has been dance, and I like to dance.
What drives you to move forward?
My family (my Mom, my siblings and my Dad), but the biggest driving force that drives me to keep going and not give up is my Mom.
I feel that what makes me different from other young people is my hunger for the world, when I talk about hunger for the world I mean to fight no matter the circumstances and not give up, always fight. I am not one of the people who give up so easily, not until I fulfil everything I propose.
When did you decide for the first time that you wanted to study nursing, what year are you currently studying?
It was something that I decided very quickly for one circumstance or another, but I don’t regret it. I am currently in my second year of Maternal and Infant Nursing.
What challenges have you struggled with to get to where you are now?
I have had many but many challenges, but in spite of those many challenges none has been so strong to defeat me, and not move on.
I wouldn’t think twice about helping someone who has gone through, or is going through those challenges that I have gone through. I would do that by giving them lots of advice, encouragement, and helping them in every way possible so long as those people don’t give up and move on.
Do you think that now that you have come to this new and incredible place in your life, do you see that dreams can come true with hard work and perseverance?
Not only do I believe it, I am living it. In the short time that I have been studying Nursing, and I have had very nice experiences that are being kept in my mind and heart. With these experiences I have been able to confirm that if you propose it, dreams come true, and that living that dream is much better than just dreaming it.
What challenges do you see?
The only challenge that will always be present throughout my career is the “economic” because as the years go by the expenses increase, and I cannot ask that my mother and father help financially because I know how hard it is to earn money, and I prefer a thousand times that there is something to eat in my house than to spend it on me. Thanks to the support of Empowerment, I always manage to cover all the expenses for the university.
What has been your greatest strength or inspiration to stay in college?
As I mentioned before, my greatest inspiration to move forward has been, is and always will be my Mom, I want her to be very proud of me, and the only thing I ask of God is to allow my Mom to live many more years so that she can be by my side in every achievement that I give her, I want to give her everything, I want her to be happy without any kind of worry.