Home for me is the impoverished, unsteady and chaotic city of Managua, capital of Nicaragua, a country of ceaseless economic and political unrest. As I grew up, I witnessed countless cases of kids abandoning school or being forced to work in the streets due to their oppressive poverty conditions. A strong curiosity and eagerness to comprehend the people and the world arose from those experiences.
Returning home after a long, enriching and challenging academic exchange year in the USA was the inflection point of my life. Comparing the complex social and economic settings of both countries brought me to understand that there was plenty of work to do in my country. Since that moment I evolved from an undergraduate student majoring in Accounting, to an international humanitarian volunteer in the largest favela (slum) of Brazil, to a social advocate representing my country at conferences around the world.
During my last two years in college, I worked in development aid organizations coordinating administrative operations and evaluating the impact of poverty reduction projects in the northern side of Nicaragua, further nourishing my ongoing understanding of social inclusion and nascent passion for development. Additional time spent volunteering at an international youth-led organization fed my ingrained aspiration to engage with an increasing number of people globally. These experiences inspired me to chase similar pursuits abroad, first as a delegate at the 7th UNAOC Global Forum in Azerbaijan and then as a youth ambassador at the Peace Conference of Youth 2016 held in Japan.
The place I call home has taught me an important lesson again: poverty is not only a condition but a source of inspiration.