My name is Yamile Mirella Quispe Sánchez, I am 17 years old and I am currently a member of the Padre Wasson Community Family Center of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos Peru. I am in my final year of secondary education at the “Centro de Mujeres” educational institution, a public school in San Vicente de Cañete.
I live with my mother, Teresa Micaela Sánchez Guerrero, at my grandmother’s house. Her house is in the Santa Rosa neighborhood, in the district of San Vicente de Cañete. My mom has a plot of land in the “Arístides Merloni 18 de octubre” settlement, but nothing has been built there yet, which is why we live at my grandmother’s house.
My family and I have been part of the Padre Wasson Community Family Center of NPH Peru since March 2023. This has been a great opportunity for us as it has helped us in many ways. We have been able to meet needs that were previously difficult to fulfill, such as having daily food for our meals. Thanks to the family center, we receive a basic food basket each month that helps us maintain a good diet.
I also have the opportunity to attend psychology sessions twice a week and monthly family strengthening sessions with my mom. The sessions and workshops are led by psychologist Edith Calixto, with whom I find it easy to express what I feel and understand what she conveys. This has helped us improve our relationships at home, have more family unity, and has strengthened the trust between my mom and me.
In the psychology sessions, I have participated in emotional intelligence workshops, where I learned the importance of recognizing my emotions, expressing them, and managing them in a healthy way. I have applied this in my interactions with my mom, uncles, and nephews. It has also helped me identify my feelings about my father, with whom I have no relationship, as I did not grow up with him.
In the psychology workshops, I also learned about communication tools. I learned about different communication styles and discovered that the assertive style is the most appropriate for interacting with others. We also discussed strategies for conflict resolution that promote more peaceful coexistence. This has greatly helped me better understand my family members and classmates at school.
All these psychology workshops and family strengthening sessions have also boosted my self-confidence, helped me recognize my strengths, and allowed me to develop by putting my skills into practice. In the summer, I had the opportunity to teach younger children as a volunteer teacher. I provided reinforcement classes in math and integrated communication to elementary school girls.
Before attending the psychology sessions, I struggled to handle certain difficult situations. However, I later learned to identify my strengths and use these resources to resolve conflicts. I know that with discipline and perseverance, I can achieve what I set out to do.
Currently, in the psychology workshops, I am creating my life plan. This helps me clarify my short- and medium-term goals. This year I am in my fifth year of secondary education, and I would like to finish in first place in the merit list. This would help me apply for a government scholarship and have the opportunity to attend university and study law.
I am definitely grateful for everything I have achieved, and I know that if more people continue to join the NPH family, many other children will be able to fulfill their dreams as well.