I am very pleased to announce our most recent addition to the team of L’Ecole des Enfants. Join me in welcoming Betzabe Villarreal that is supporting our cause by focusing on grant screening and writing grant applications. This work is of tremendous importance for the progress of the project. A few words from Betzabe herself on why she wants to be part of building the school in Côte d’Ivoire: “I consider myself a world citizen, I grew up moving around cities and countries, from rural settlements in the Sierra Madre to large cities in Europe, I am a traveler of the world and life, a learner or sciences, cultures, history and languages. My hobbies are in photography and books, you could say I've always been a student. When I was a teenager I dreamed of being immortal so I could learn all the things that are out there and don't have to settle for a major when I got into College; when I was 15 I participated on a beauty pageant because at 24 I was going to be a graduate of a Masters in Automotive Engineering from a German University, work as a Formula I pits engineer so I could travel the world, speak four languages and win Miss Universe, during that pageant I was asked what I would do if I was president of Mexico for a day, I answered without hesitation I would focus in defining a better Education program, because education is what prepares you for the future, with education we are whatever we want to be, I am living proof of that. My grandparents where farmers in a small town in Mexico, without education, my mother is one of 12 children, of which only 2 got a college education. My mother died when I was 15 but she left me a great gift, after saving for 2 years she sent me to Canada to learn english, six months after she passed away I traveled by myself to stay with strangers that became my family for six months and return to Mexico as a different person. Thanks to this experience I got my first job at an amazing company which got me to travel around the world, learn three languages and helped me get my Masters in Business. It also gave me all that I had dreamed off, it was a different way to get there but I did it because of the doors my parents opened for me by encouraging me to study engineering while I worked a full time job. It opened the world for me, showed me the richness of my culture and the beauty of all others. L'ecole des Enfants is going to do this for so many children; is going to open minds and help them achieve their dreams, because education is the key to the future, the key to believe.”
