Agronomists, Educators, Social Workers: grads Benjamin, Janelle, Rosa and Sara

13 students graduated this June (mid-year: the Bolivian school year runs February - November), and 14 new students began studying with help from BQEF's donors. Below are highlights of 4 of the recent grads (more coming soon).

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Benjamin Yanarico Cahuana was inspired to study agriculture so he could help improve the productivity in his community. He graduated this June with a degree in Agricultural Engineering from UMSA, where his favorite subject was Irrigation because water is a vital - and diminishing - resource in the area. Benjamin and his classmates dug a soil pit to see the layers or phases that the soil has in the country, with the goal of recognizing the different layers in the Bolivian soil.  The sampling pits were done in the...
read more.

Janelle Aspi Cortez's interest in music grew out of her family's rich musical heritage. She completed her studies in Music Education at Simon Bolivar Teachers Education School this June.  Janelle's group took second place in the 2008 Olympiad of Music for teachers colleges. She has given piano concerts, directs the children’s chorus at church, and participates in a music group for women.
Currently working on her thesis, Janelle also plays in a co-ed Christian Mariachi band, "Por Amor" (For Love) in addition to her continuing service work...read more. 

Rosa Poma Pillco, now graduated with a degree in 
Agronomy, collected kitchen scraps to bring to class on Saturdays at her instructor's behest for making organic compost. She worked on demonstration plots for barley, cañahua, quinoa, broad beans, tarwi, skinless potato, oca, bitter potato, etc. and learned both organic and hydroponic growing techniques. 
You can see more of Rosa's field work, and excerpts from her letter, at our Students and Grads News and Notes page.
 

 Sara Mamani Tito has finished her psychology studies
and her practicum, which included working with the resident children in a women's detention center (right). Sara wrote that she came here "to listen to the children of the prisoners", that she worked with them to prevent after-effects from having lived in jail, so that they could have as healthy a development as possible. Sara worked with the children on social skills and overcoming learning disabilities, and gave workshops on preventing violence and
abuse.  She is now working on her thesis. For more photos and details
of Sara's work, please visit our Students and Grads News and Notes page.

To see bios and photos of our grads and current students, visit our Scholars Gallery.

And of course, to support this transformative, life-changing work, please use the Donate button at the top of the page.

Bendiciones!

Vickey