It's Never Too Late to Start Over
In 2023 members of the San Lazaro Coffee team were given a unique opportunity: to go back to school and work towards a high school diploma. For many in the remote mountains where we work even graduating from the 6th grade is oftentimes out of reach. Now they would be able to go to school at the Lazarus Academy.
Our team at the coffee farm is made up entirely of women, who apart from work on our farm are also homemakers with many responsibilities. Initially they reacted with surprise and disbelief and unfortunately declined the offer, some out of fear and others out of shame. However, over time, three brave women decided to enroll, two in second grade and one in seventh grade.
One of these women is a 51-year-old single mother named Carmen. Carmen works hard to support her daughter who is currently in college. She is also the sole provider for her elderly parents.
Carmen starts her day at 3 am. She must cook and prepare everything for her parents before beginning her long hike through the mountains to be at work on the coffee farm by 7 am. After a hard day's work and a nearly two hour hike home she arrives in time to feed her chickens and pigs, clean her corn and bean crop, and take care of household chores.
Despite her many obligations, Carmen has found time and energy to attend classes, showing admirable dedication and perseverance. She is an outstanding student, especially in mathematics, her favorite subject.
Every Saturday, Carmen and her co-workers arrive at Lazarus Academy with hopeful smiles and great enthusiasm, grateful for the opportunity to continue their studies. Women like Carmen are going the extra mile to transform their lives and their families' lives. The dignified, well-paid employment at San Lazaro Coffee and transportation support to attend classes are both initiatives that make a lasting impact, one person at a time. Carmen and the others enrolled in our Adult Education program are proving that it’s never too late to move forward and achieve their dreams.
This experience not only provides them with academic knowledge but also a sense of community and mutual support. Together they are creating bonds that transcend the classrooms and reflect in their homes and communities. The impact of this program goes beyond education, it is a seed of hope and self-improvement planted in each of these brave women.
Meet Our Other Excellent Students
Lety is a 40-year-old homemaker and a single mother raising four children on her own. She is very brave and dedicated to pursuing a better life for herself and her children.
At 30 years old, Karla has a strong desire for self-improvement and dreams of graduating and continuing to university. She had previously been unable to study due to the needs of her family.
How Can You Help?
You can support students like Carmen, Lety, and Karla in a couple of ways: by purchasing their delicious coffee, or by donating to Mission Lazarus and designating your gift to be used for Education.
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Also in San Lázaro Coffee Blog
Rooted in Dreams: A Young Woman’s Path to Change
Mayela, a 17-year-old from a small village surrounded by green mountains, lives with her grandfather. God has gifted her with a heart full of dreams and a deep passion for nature. Her educational journey began at Lazarus Academy, where she not only gained theoretical knowledge but also developed values that shaped her as a person. Upon graduating high school, Mayela knew her story was just beginning. She decided to enroll in a forestry program, determined to help preserve the environment of her beloved homeland.
Honoring Sister Karla
At 24 years old there were not many opportunities for Karla. She was newly married and had a young daughter. The rugged rural mountains where she had grown up and lived in her entire life hadn’t afforded much. In particular she didn’t have the opportunity to continue learning in high school. But what she did learn was how to work. Both Karla and her husband were committed to helping their young family get ahead. He farmed and she worked anywhere she could, often picking tomatoes or peppers for farmers in the region. The days were long, the pay was bad, and the treatment was worse.
