What happens when young women start believing a better future is possible? They dare to dream.
Daniela (above, left), 18, was planning to leave Nicaragua a few months ago. She thought it was her best option due to high unemployment rates — one of the main catalysts for irregular migration.
“My family and I have been going through a difficult situation, and I thought by migrating I could help my family,” the young woman told me. “I already had everything ready.”
Migrating alone, irregularly, could have exposed Daniela to violence, exploitation or worse. Luckily, the teen had a change of heart after taking part in the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada-supported Regional Young Female Entrepreneurs Summit in El Salvador.
Workshops with female entrepreneurs, their narratives and images of inspiring role models, motivated Daniela to keep strengthening her positive self-concept, self-control, analytical skills — all of which are likely to increase her chances of building a successful business. Today, she’s thinking positively about her future.
“I realized there are opportunities; I learned a lot from women who did not migrate to another country and managed to get ahead. Now I plan to open a food business, which I believe can grow into a restaurant.”
Inspiration, networking and learning help young women like Daniela grow and thrive by addressing two root causes of irregular migration — unemployment and hope for a better life.
It’s why Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), is leading the Global Affairs Canada-funded Preventing Irregular Child Migration project in Mexico and Central America (PICMCA, CONFIO in Spanish). It’s improving the well-being of children and youth at risk of irregular migration through seminars like the one Daniela attended.
PICMCA addresses challenges holding young females (and males) back from feeling economically empowered and self-resilient, so they’re motivated to stay in their home countries and contribute to their community’s development.
It’s been uplifting meeting young women like Daniela who are identifying and setting realistic goals they can achieve, nurturing positive beliefs about their future and themselves.