Para Las Ninas (“For the Girls”) is a non-profit, educational scholarship foundation established to assist young Honduran girls reach their full potential through academic accessibility and privatized education. During my years on the island, I developed close friendships with the children of nearby Pigeon Cay. This tiny fishing village houses roughly 700 residents, and can best be described as a
tight community lost in time. While there is a "publicly" funded school system on the Cay, the resources available are mediocre at best. Most boys will become fishermen and help support extended families. I’ve witnessed, first-hand, many of the teenage girls fall into the continual cycle of unplanned pregnancies. Several studies highlighted in the World Bank report “The Cost of Not Educating Girls” (2018) suggest that there is a causal relationship - more education for girls results in delayed pregnancies. On average, an additional year of secondary school reduces the chances of teenage childbearing by 6 percentage points. Para Las Ninas was formed to help raise these girls from their current circumstances and provide them with options by sponsoring selected recipients with academic scholarships. The Para Las Ninas Board of Directors (including Local Honduran community leaders)will contribute to the scholarship selection each year by review of the girl’s academic records, community participation and financial need. Para Las Ninas provides complete funding for selected girls to attend Centro Adventista, a private educational institution in Utilatown, a 20 minute boat ride from the tiny Cay. The Foundation will continue to fund the young girls’ tuition and expenses, yearly, through their graduation. In November 2020, the Foundation celebrated the completion of the 1st scholarship recipient’s third year of nursing school and the 7th scholarship recipient’s high school graduation! “Lift the girl, she’ll lift the community”.
