One man, named Ronaldo, told me a story about the pressure he had felt as a boy to continue raising the crops as his primary usage of time, like his loving father. His father, seeing the immediate need of the family, asked the boy to drop his school studies when he reached the fourth grade and instead dedicate all of his time to the farm. Ronaldo had a hunger to keep learning, so without the financial support of his father, he was forced to find a sponsor to help him continue school. A teacher helped him find a way to study for one more year.
The following year, when he was out of money once again, he met a friend who helped him enroll in a sponsored education program. He sent his picture to the United States, asking for a sponsor to pay for his studies. Some generous person(s) provided him with enough funding to continue through middle school.
Near the end of his middle school experience, a public health group came to Ronaldo's school offering scholarships to those who committed to study and work in public health. He signed up, finished his education, and worked in public health for 20 years. Eventually, he was able to start his own small medicine shop. After some time of careful money management, he purchased some more land and also expanded his in-house store.
Ronaldo's hard work on his studies and his efforts to grow and continue learning and applying opened up a future for him, piece by piece. In 2008, Ronaldo's son was hit by a mototaxi and rushed to a local clinic. He was told his son had one hour to live before the head injury would take his life. They were far from the nearest hospital with specialty doctors who could operate most skillfully on his son. They decided to operate in the clinic. The son healed, thankfully. Ronaldo had to sell a large plot of fertile land to pay for the surgery.
As Ronaldo told me his story, he spoke with such passion and appreciation regarding his education and the people who had made it possible. He emphasized to me that it opened up life-changing opportunities. It also made possible his ability to cope with, and pay for, the unexpected and tragic head injury of his son.
Literacy is key to learning. The world around us, especially in a first-world country, is filled with information, instructions, lessons, warnings, etc. that become a total obstacle when a person can't read. There are many ways to promote literacy. I hope to continue promoting it in my family and community for the long term. I've seen it change lives right here in Project Read.
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