Fabian's Story
Fabian is one of our graduates from the Sisters of Mary boys’ school in Guadalajara, Mexico.
He is the eldest of five children, with three brothers & one sister. His parents were impoverished farmers who struggled to raise enough to feed their family. Without money, and like many of the local children, Fabian was not able to go to school. Hungry and neglected he was desperate for a way out and many of his friends gave up hope and joined the local gangs to make a living from crime.
However, in 2011 Fabian heard about the Sisters of Mary school in Guadalajara and thanks to the kindness of our donors we were able to offer him a place at our school. He joined the Sisters in 2012.
Being at school was a happy time for Fabian. He loved learning, and his goal at school was to get to a level of success so that he could care for his entire family and pay forward the kindness of the Sisters of Mary. He says that he owes his life to the Sisters “if I hadn’t gone to the Sisters of Mary, I wouldn’t be alive today due to the dangers in my hometown. Today I consider that the Villa de los Niños is actually part of my family, when I go I feel that I arrived at my home, I feel peace, I feel love and I do not feel alone.”
Supporting the next generation of students
Since graduating, Fabian has flourished. Using his education and the practical skills he learnt at school he has pursued further education in psychology qualifications and set up a business valeting cars. This business is thriving and he now employs members of his family. In addition he is able to care for his parents, grandparents and siblings who all live with him. Fabian also employs two graduates from the Sisters of Mary school but he is determined to do more to help the Sisters.
He remains eternally grateful to them for the way his life is transformed and he has been moved to pay back this care by offering direct help to the Sisters with the new boys in the schools. Using his experience of the difficulties of a life in poverty, broken homes, abuse and neglect, Fabian is able to counsel the boys now in the care of the Sisters who are suffering the same traumas. He provides weekly counselling for the boys and says that most of the issues that they experience are mental issues stemming from the difficulties of their life experiences before coming to school.
He knows that the boys need help with settling into school and building confidence and Fabian is uniquely situated to offer a helping hand and a listening ear for the children. His experiences and his success since school give these new boys a vision for what they can achieve and hope for the future, the confidence to dream and build ambition no matter what their start in life.