Brandi Ybarra and Sueniños

THE AMIGOS-HEART BEHIND THE FUNDS

My name is Brandi Ybarra, and I’d like to acknowledge how Amigos goes beyond funding to support those who are passionate and dedicated to an improving world.

For me as a recent Seattle U graduate who had only been planning to serve here for a month, Amigos was the place that welcomed my enthusiasm with open arms. I had written an email request to the contact number on the brochure asking for information about projects that might accept my involvement. Rather than simply giving me the names of organizations, I received three thoughtful responses: the first was from David Orr who had shared my interest with the other board members; the second was a ¨we know the place where you would be great¨ from Linda Haskell; and the third was from the directors of Sueniños, A.C. with whom Amigos had connected me, offering me precisely the opportunity I had been dreaming about.



My rainbow shoots up from there, and the Amigos community has continued with invested interest and encouragement for me along the way. The more time I spend here with Sueniños, the more time I feel compelled to dedicate myself to the cause. I am happy to share with you part of what we do:

Along with the other teachers and volunteers, I spend every day enabling children from two minimal-resource communities to realize their learning potential and to embrace their selves as human beings of value.



Aside from supporting them in understanding what they are presented in their schools and in finishing their daily assignments, we facilitate other important forms of education. Through projects such as sports and arts, the Sueniños are allowed constructive outlets for their energy, materials for exercising their creativity, and opportunities to build coordination. We also work on preventative personal hygiene and recognizing children’s rights to grow as healthy people.

As multi-faceted as ¨education of the whole person¨ is, sometimes the most powerful support we can give them to excel is a simple look in the eyes saying, ¨Yes, you can do it.¨ 

For this reason I would extend my thanks to the friendly Amigos community beyond serving as a support-system for me by believing in my potential for influence; but more importantly for the kids’ sake— for recognizing Sueniños, A.C. as a constructive environment in which these fresh minds can flourish. Despite whatever hardships they have seen, these children learn, play, and fight with heart. By being able to learn as they desire, their potential to grow with dignity increases, and their confidence grows, and then their capacity for influence grows as well. They become empowered with education.

Gracias, Amigos, for your support as the Sueniños lift their unnecessary shade and enable more light to shine on their place in the world. Thank you for believing that we all deserve a chance.