Sarahí’s Story
Sarahí Jimenez is the oldest of four siblings. They live with their mother only, as their father abandoned them some time ago.
Sarahí’s mother works late in the city taking care of two children with disabilities, which means that, ironically, she has to leave her own children alone. Sarahí, as the oldest sister, helps her family and takes care of her three younger siblings when she is not at school.
Sarahi´s house is far away from the school, in an unpopulated area, where poor families occupy land with the hope of one day being able to legally own it. They know that since they do not own the land the mayor’s office can come and evict them at a moment’s notice. The family shares a single, makeshift room, built with low end, found materials. They have no sewage system where they are, so their bathroom is a small space, separate from their one room living area.
It takes Sarahí more than an hour to get to school because she has to take two public vehicles, ¨trufis¨, along one-way dirt roads, often created by the villagers themselves.
Sarahí is a good student and receives good grades, according to the principal of her high school. The BEF program is especially helpful to her as it provides two nutritious meals each day and a space to study and finish her homework before the long journey home to care for her siblings.
