The Aprender y Crecer program has provided more than 1.5 million school supply packages and nearly 3.1 million books to students since its founding in 2006. While the focus is on the students and schools that the program sponsors each year, there are thousands of students who have received the benefits of the program over the years.

One of these students is Olbin Mejía, who attended Centro Escolar Lempira in the Los Castaños neighborhood of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He fondly remembers the school supplies and books that the program provided when he was a student there. Years later, Olbin was hired as a cashier at PriceSmart in San Pedro Sula. It was only when he learned about the annual fundraising campaign and his role in collecting donations to support the Aprender y Crecer program that he realized this was the same program that had supported him when he was in school.

“When I found out [that the donations went to Aprender y Crecer], I went over and above to support the campaign, so much so that I was the #1 or #2 top-collecting cashier during some weeks of the campaign,” remarked Olbin. “I feel enormously grateful to Aprender y Crecer and to PriceSmart, for having given me the opportunity to work in a prestigious company like this.”

And if the story hadn’t already come full circle, Olbin’s younger brother who attends Centro Escolar Dionisio Herrera is a current beneficiary of Aprender y Crecer.

Former students aren’t the only ones with connections to Aprender y Crecer.  Geovany Pérez, who works in the foodservice department at the San Pedro Sula PriceSmart, recently participated in a volunteer activity at a school sponsored by Aprender y Crecer.  His children attend a school that recently joined the Aprender y Crecer program.  “I have three kids, and last year we spent L. 5,000 (about US$193) for school supplies. This year with the school supplies provided by Aprender y Crecer, we only spent L. 300 (about US$12).”

During the fundraising campaign, Geovany often works the cash register and invites members to donate to support Aprender y Crecer. When members respond with skepticism, Geovany can relate his first-hand connection to the program.  “I myself am a beneficiary, as a parent of students at an Aprender y Crecer school,” Geovany says to reassure a member. “It’s real.”

Were you a student at a school sponsored by Aprender y Crecer?  Have you finished high school and gone on to work or other studies? Please share your story with us.