Editor’s Note: As word of the Voces de Mompox project has spread across town, various folks have stopped by to introduce themselves and talk about their dreams for the future and ideas for other projects.

Today’s article is by Luz Darys Velaides Mojica, a 23 year old woman from Mompos who is struggling to fulfill her dream of finishing university.
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[Spanish version; please scroll down for English version]

HOLA!

Me llamo Luz Darys Velaides Mojica, Colombiana, tengo 23 anos, nacida en Mompos, madre soltera con una nina de 3 anos. Mi meta para el futuro es ser una profesional, continuando mi carrera de Fonoaudiologia en la Universidad de Pamplona.

Yo me gradue de la secundaria en 2002 y entre la universidad en 2003. De los 9 semestres de la carrera he podido cursar 3 semestres, obteniendo notas satisfactorias y excelente promedio academico. Apesar de todo esto, no pude continuar mis cursos. La falta de recursos economicos unida a la falta de oportunidades me anularon las posibilidades reales de continuar mis suenos en el futuro, las demandas imposibles de los acredeidores unidos a otras demandas burocraticas.

La cantidad estimada para poder continuar mis estudios para este semestre es de alrededor de 788,000 pesos colombianos ($436.00 USD) donde el ingreso economico de mi hogar es de 150,000 pesos colombiano ($83.00 USD) al mes para 6 personas. La matematica esta clara y los numeros no miente! Aunque la cifra es baja para los paises desarrollados, para Colombia es un precio entre comer o no comer.

El mensaje es claro para los colombianos pobres o de bajo ingreso, la educacion es solo para los ricos y persona de la alta sociedad.

La educacion superior para la clase baja en Colombia encuentra varios osbtaculos. El financiamento monetario es el mayor de todos, haciendo casi imposible para muchas familias de bajo recursos enviar a sus hijos a la universidad.

Las tarifas de pago por semestre cambian y crean de esta manera incertidumbre en los planeamientos y en las predicciones razonables. Ellos estan sujetos a cambios improvistos, asiendo imposible el planeamiento financiero. Algo que implica el papel que esta jugando nuestra burocracia en mi Colombia.

En mi caso en particular el poder atender una universidad significaria el alivio economico de mi pequena hija, sobrina, padres, y el mio propio. Seria yo la primera en graduarse no es depender de la asistencia publica; es alcanzar la independencia economica para poder pagar mis deudas y cumplir con mis obligaciones.

Como mujer y como madre soltera he encontrado muchos obstaculos que he tenido que superar. He tenido que atravesar caminos largos y jornadas dificiles, pero este ha sido y es el mas difficil de todos porque de mi dependen muchos otros. Es personal y social, es Colombia y es la americalatina.

En Colombia habemos personas que todavia sonamos con un mundo mejor, mas justo, mas sano que le ofrezca la oportunidad para crecer en paz, donde se pueda educar aquel que lo desee y este capacitado para dar de regreso de lo que se le dio, es decir la oportunidad de educarse y de ser un hombre o mujer util para su sociedad. Mejores hombres y mujeres es lo que necesitamos para reconstruir todo lo que hemos destruido de una manera personal o colectiva.

Doy las gracias por esta oportunidad, por este espacio, siento alivio porque he podido hablar de Colombia, de mi, de mi familia y de todos los mios. Mis comunidades necesitan un poco de todo, escuelas, hospitales, mejores parques, calles pavimentadas etc., pero lo que mas necesitamos es la oportunidad de ser mejores y la posibilidad de un sueno!

Gracias a todas las personas que ayudan a disipar las necesidades de las comunidades mas necesitadas.
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My name is Luz Darys Velaides Mojica. I am a 23 year old Colombian woman who was born in Mompos, and I am a single mother of a 3 year old daughter. My goal for the future is to become a professional, continuing my education in audiology at the University of Pamplona.

I graduated from high school in 2002 and entered university in 2003. I have only been able to complete 3 of the 9 semesters in my program, but obtained satisfactory and excellent marks in my classes. In spite of my accomplishments, I have not been able to continue my studies and finish my degree yet due to a lack of financial resources, along with impossible bureaucratic demands. Together, these factors create a real obstacle for me with respect to fulfilling my dreams.

The estimated amount needed to continue my studies this semester is around 788,000 Colombian pesos (approx. $436.00 USD), while the monthly income in my household is around 150,000 pesos (approx. $83.00 USD) for six people. The math is clear and the numbers don’t lie! Our income is low compared to developed countries, but for Colombia, we just teeter on the border between eating and not eating.

The message is clear for Colombians who are poor: education is only for the rich. Higher education for the lower class in Colombia presents various obstacles. Financing one’s education is the biggest of these, making it impossible for many low-income families to send their children to university. Complicating matters, the tuition changes from one semester to the next, creating uncertainty in the student’s plans and making it impossible for families to calculate their budgets. These people are subjected to unexpected changes, making financial planning impossible thanks to the role of bureaucracy in Colombia.

In my own case, the power to go to university signifies economic relief for my daughter, my niece, my parents, and myself. I would be the first in my family to graduate, and this means we would not have to depend on public assistance. Going to university means achieving economic independence, paying my debts, and fulfilling my responsibilities.

As a woman and a single mother, I have encountered many obstacles I have had to overcome. I have had a long and difficult path, but this pause in my education has been the most difficult challenge of all because others depend upon me. The problem is personal and social in Colombia and Latin America.

In Colombia, there are still people who dream of a better future that is more just and more healthy and which offers opportunities.

Thank you for this opportunity, for this space. I feel relieved because I have been able to talk about Colombia, myself, my family, and what’s important to me. My community needs a little bit of everything: schools, hospitals, better parks, and paved roads, but what we need most is the opportunity to become better people and to be able to dream!

Thank you for taking the time to understand communities that are most in need.

If you would like to contact Luz, she can be reached at anacalderon23@hotmail.com.