A girl who dares to dream

What was your childhood dream?

“I want to be a doctor and start the first clinic in my community,” 13-year-old Nahomy, in Honduras, confidently answers. 

Achieving this dream won’t be easy. Nahomy lived with her grandparents on their farm for six years after her father migrated for work. While he was gone, she learned how to grow strawberries, coriander and squash. She watched as her grandfather knocked ripe lemons down from trees and learned from him how to harvest coffee.

Useful skills - but not her dream. Nahomy needed something more to reach her goal of becoming a doctor. 

When she became a sponsored child, Nahomy was able to learn other skills too, including taking part in child protection training.

Becoming a beacon of hope

Her history gives her empathy for the social and spiritual needs of children. And once her father returned, she drew on the strength of her family’s love, to be a beacon of hope for others.

“That’s how I got interested in running for youth mayor. There were three candidates – all girls – and I was the youngest. We went around to different local schools to campaign. My father would drive me,” says Nahomy.

Her hard work paid off – she won twice as many votes as other candidates and at 13, she wears a sash signifying the office she holds as Youth Mayor.

Strengthening community through service

She is already a child rights advocate and community organiser. She encourages her peers to build up their community through service.

Nahomy faces difficult subjects head on, campaigning against early marriage and teen pregnancy. When children drop out of school, she goes with the municipal child protection officer to talk to their parents and help them find solutions.

Through the strength of her family’s love and the support of her sponsor, teachers and mentors she continues to make change in her community.

“I’ve been sponsored for four years. It makes me feel good to get a letter. They ask me what I want to do in life and give me ideas about the future,” says Nahomy.

Living fearlessly

Nahomy knows her dreams can come true.

Every girl should dream. Every girl should live free of fear.

But many of them don’t - just because they are girls.
Millions of girls live in fear of violence that takes many forms.
Fear of walking home from school. Of what – or who – she’ll find when she gets there.
Fear of being forced to do things she doesn’t want to do. To marry too early. To lose a chance at an education.
And we know that many women around the world can understand this fear all too well.

Right now, thousands of girls urgently need sponsors to help them build a fearless future.

Can you stand with a girl like Nahomy?

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