Early life
Jessica is 13 years old from Santo Domingo, Peten, the northern state of Guatemala.
Jessica is the third of 5 children. Her mother is a housewife and stays home to care for her brothers and sisters. Her father is a farmer but the living is extremely difficult. The family is in a very poor situation, there is no money for food or school supplies, uniform, or clothes. They struggle to eat every day. As a result, Jessica has struggled with childhood malnutrition, which has affected her physical health and made her body weak.
Jessica travelled hours from her home to Tierra Blanca to meet the Sisters and ask for a place at school. When she was given a place, she and her family were overjoyed!
Life at school
Jessica joined the Sisters of Mary in January 2025. When she arrived at school, it was clear from her incoming medical check-up that she was suffering from severe malnutrition requiring immediate medical intervention. The Sisters arranged for her care at the local hospital for three days until the doctors were satisfied that she was improving.
Now she is flourishing in school and is gradually gaining strength. Her hair has started growing, a sign that her health is improving. She is being monitored by the school clinic and nurses and continues to take additional supplements to address the lingering effects of malnutrition.
She is very happy now and her favourite subject is social science. She struggles with maths but is persevering to learn well. Jessica doesn’t yet have the physical strength to take part in sport, but looks forward to joining her peers soon.
Jessica dreams of becoming a nurse one day when she finishes school.
