On December 4th Rafael Leonidas Tabic Borja will fulfill his dream of becoming an agricultural engineer. That dream has become a reality thanks to the full scholarship he was awarded by the Nippon Foundation, a Japanese philanthropic institution that believes in Zamorano education and gave the 23- year-old young Guatemalan the opportunity to pursue university studies at this institution.
The charismatic student is from Chayen, located in the department of San Marcos, a village where the majority of the population consists of farmers who do not have their own land to live on, and some who have only small plots barely enough for family gardens.
“Most people lease land from coffee farm owners. My dad worked on a coffee farm for many years, but wages were very low and barely enough for food. Today he does a variety of jobs, from building houses to plumbing. He has been a hardworking man and is my role model, “says Rafael.
He fondly recalls how every day his father got ready to till the land with hoe in hand and how his dedicated mother watched over him and his two younger sisters. At an early age, his upbringing in a humble campesino family awoke Rafael’s interest in becoming an agricultural engineer.
But opportunities for young Latin Americans living in rural areas are limited, and most see their dreams of overcoming their situation frustrated by lack of resources and options. Rafael says that the good example of one’s parents and a desire for self-improvement are not always enough, and that, due to the poor economic condition of his family, he could have never aspired to study at Zamorano.
After completing primary school, Rafael was awarded a full scholarship at the School of Agricultural Training (EFA, Spanish acronym), located in the departmental capital of San Marcos. “After that, I finished high school at the National School of Agriculture (ENCA, Spanish acronym). Then I faced a new challenge because I wanted to continue studying at a university level. The problem was that my parents did not have sufficient financial resources to pay for it,” says this talented young man.
A scholarship saves the day
“Zamorano representatives came to ENCA to test those who were interested in studying there. Without hesitating for a moment, I took the admission exams with the faith that God would provide for my studies. Out of 33 young people who applied, 10 were accepted, but not all of us had financial support,” he said.
Rafael recalls with joy the moment he received the good news that he would be able study at Zamorano thanks to a full scholarship from the Nippon Foundation. “I remember seeing my mother crying, and I asked her why. The first thing she said was, “God is great my son, God has heard our prayers. Zamorano just called to tell you that you have been awarded a full scholarship. “
Today a Rafael is a Zamorano student characterized by his charisma and his participatory and service-oriented spirit. As a result of these traits, in his first year at Zamorano, his classmates named him “Friend of the Class.” In his first year at the institution he became an active member of the Ambulance Volunteer Corps, and at the beginning of his third year he joined the Public Relations Club. Rafael did his fourth-year internship at Louisiana State University, and for his graduation project (thesis), he evaluated the statistics of three food security programs in Central America, focusing on Honduras.
“Zamorano has completely changed my life. It has taught me to be more responsible, and that is the result of their excellent disciplinary system. Not only that, when you come here you find the Panamericanism that has characterized the school since its founding. At Zamorano we learn to respect others and to accept a diversity of cultures and beliefs. “Thanks to the continuing support of the Nippon Foundation, since 2002, 25 Guatemalans and more than 125 young Latin Americans have graduated from Zamorano.
“Rafael is living testimony of a young man, who after overcoming difficult obstacles in his life, has sought to better himself. He is one of that 32% of Zamoranos (334) that receive a full scholarship at Zamorano. They enter the institution to live and study together with other young people from over 17 countries. Here they are exposed to a different reality, an integral education that opens the path to a better future,” said Hugo Zavala, Registrar and Financial Aid Officer.
However, every year there are talented young people who are unable to receive financial aid from Zamorano, such as that provided by strategic partners like the Nippon Foundation.
Last year 90 young people from Guatemala were accepted to the Class 2013, but only 59 entered the institution. The other 31 young people had successfully completed the admissions process and had been accepted, but were unable to enter due to lack of funds. “Unfortunately a lot of young Latin Americans do not have access to a higher education and get trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty. This is the case in all the countries that Zamorano serves,” said Mr. Zavala
In order to counteract this reality, Zamorano has set up endowment funds in each country that Zamorano serves, which will complement the financial support Zamorano receives annually from donors.
Guatemalan Endowment Fund
“The endowment funds in Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama have set a goal of raising a total of four million dollars,” says Dr. John Van Ness, Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “With the support of Guatemalan private enterprise, as well as our graduates, private donors, the public sector, foundations and other institutions, they hope to raise 50%. The remainder will be provided by Zamorano. “Zamorano’s Board of Trustees is committed to strengthening these endowment funds by matching national donations 1-to-1. In this case, a total of $2 million dollars will be allocated from the General Endowment Fund to the Guatemalan Endowment Fund. The new fund will increase the number of scholarships that can be provided to young Guatemalans seeking to better themselves. The best part is that this financial support will be given in perpetuity.
The First Million
A select group of Guatemalan businessmen committed to the development of their country and the education of future generations of Guatemalans have made the first contribution to the Guatemalan Endowment Fund, reaching 25% of the overall goal. “They are an example to other businessman, not only in Guatemala, but in all of Latin America-,” says Mr. Rozzanna Pappa, Zamorano Representative in Guatemala. “I appreciate their confidence in our institution and in our mission to provide an excellent education to future generations of Latin American leaders that our countries need to face the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Currently, thanks to this fund a young Guatemalan woman (Class 2012) from the city of Mixco, department of Guatemala, studies at Zamorano.
