"“Soy una persona líder.” “I am a leader.” This quote perfectly encompasses Nekky. She is eloquently spoken, takes initiative, and has the drive to achieve her post-secondary education goals. She is currently student body president for her accounting class and is a naturally charismatic person. Before coming to Mosqoy, Nekky’s family suffered a terrible tragedy in a gas fire at her house. Her mother was severely burned and her father did not live through the injuries sustained from the accident. Her mother has been a beacon of positivity and encouragement for Nekky throughout her studies, always guiding her and reminding her of her incredible potential. Despite this tragic experience she perseveres in a positive way. She is always willing to help others, dedicated to her studies, and brings laughter to the program. She is a fighter.

Fernando unfortunately grew up most of his life as an orphan, having lost both his parents at a young age. Having a lack of support and guidance, Fernando did not begin caring about his education until high school. Fernando's cousin, Raul, another Mosqoy student, introduced Fernando to Mosqoy and its program. The support and family structure Mosqoy offers is what brought Fernando to us, having had little of it when growing up. Fernando is now enrolled into Kiphu Institute where he is studying Tourism. He hopes to help teach his community Spanish so tourism can be a viable economic opportunity. He hopes to be able to teach travelers about his community culture and weaving traditions.

Jaime has a fighting spirit that enables him to persevere through challenging times. This perseverance is evident when it comes to his studies, as Jaime is determined to do whatever it takes to continue his education and achieve his goals. Me gusta buscar mis metas y cumplirlos a pesar de los obstaculos. I enjoy pursuing my goals and reaching them despite the obstacles. Jaime knows how important it is to go forward with strength and to live like everyday is your last. He believes that in order to be successful, one must always try their best and be ready to get things done. In his free time, Jaime is very social and loves to spend time with friends playing sports and sharing jokes.

Rocio’s parents moved from a rural community to a larger town to provide their three daughters the opportunity to study at a secondary school. Her mother is a weaver, creating traditional, hand-woven Quechua textiles, and her father used to work as a porter on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu before suffering from a back injury. Rocio’s family sparks her drive to continue in her studies as she sees all of the sacrifices her parents have made for her. She loves numbers and problem solving, so she was very excited to be accepted into the Physics program at the national university. A natural leader, Rocio served as the mayor of her class all throughout high school. We are excited to see her continue to grow as a student and as a leader throughout her time with Mosqoy! “Sé que me esfuerzo en mis estudios y me seguirá esforzando aun con más ganas y así ayudar a mi familia en darles una mejor vida y a mi comunidad en progresar.” “I know I study hard and I will continue to study harder with even more motivation. This way I will help my family to have a better life and I will help my community to progress. "

Nohemi is from the small rural community Socma in the Sacred Valley Region of Peru. Growing up it was difficult for her family to meet their basic needs. This made it challenging for her to prioritize her studies; nevertheless, she was persistent and found the support she needed for secondary education through scholarship programs. "La alegria y las ganas son los que guian nuestro camino para el exito. "Happiness and motivation guide our path to success." In the future, she would like to use her knowledge and experience in order to help develop a sustainable tourism program for Socma. She is very proud of her beautiful community and hopes to share her culture with others in a way that allows for responsible social development.

Cristian studied at a small rural high school outside of Ollantaytambo. He is older than the other students, since he was forced to begin elementary school much later due to family troubles. Growing up, he suffered family challenges but through perseverance, graduated high school as a leader against all odds.

"Thalia is a motivated young woman with a positive approach to life, especially when it comes to her studies. She recognizes the challenges that her community Ollantaytambo is facing and is driven to succeed in order to take leadership and create a more promising future for her community. "Dime y lo olvido, ensename y lo acuerdo, involucrame y lo aprendo." Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn." Thalia has learned that one must keep moving ahead even through difficult times. This approach has brought her much success as she has pushed on and overcome many challenges throughout her childhood. Thalia's goal is to succeed in life and to support her younger brother, who also wants to continue his education.

"Silvia comes from a small community on the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu. Her community is in a beautiful natural area, but unfortunately suffers from challenges like alcoholism, domestic violence and poverty. There is also no option to access secondary education in near her home, so in order to attend secondary school she was chosen to participate in the Sacred Valley Project in the town of Ollantaytambo. Sacred Valley Project provides housing and leadership programming to girls like Silvia. Silvia dreams of one day owning her own restaurant and opening a shelter for abandoned children from in and around her community. To accomplish these dreams she applied and was accepted to Mosqoy. She just began her studies in Hotel and Business Administration and continues to build her leadership skills. We are excited to see Silvia develop into a leader for positive change in her community. “Si te caes, levántate y seguir viendo tu futuro.” “If you fall down, get up and continue to look towards the future.”