Cecilia Milagros, one of our scholarship recipients through the Parafina Social Project, is a great example of hard work and self-improvement.
After finishing school, Cecilia wanted to continue studying. She always dreamed of working in the world of cooking, so she trained and thanks to this, she has managed to fulfil her dream, showing everyone that nothing is impossible.
My name is Cecilia Herrera Gutiérrez, I am eighteen years old, I live with my mother and my stepfather in the city of Fernando de la Mora Zona Sur, previously we lived in the San Jorge neighborhood of Bañado Norte, we had to move because we were affected by the construction of the new waterfront. I lived in the aforementioned place most of my childhood after we moved when I was five years old, after the separation of my biological parents.
The first years were difficult, since my mother was forced to raise me alone as a single mother, because my father had completely ignored me, at that time we lived in the house of one of my maternal aunts, some time later my mother met my stepfather, who to be honest has been more my father than the person who gave me life, both of them built a house that moments later would become my home, both of them managed to raise me with a lot of effort and work, thus giving me the best family I could wish for.
I was enrolled in the José María Bogarín La Salle School, where I attended from fourth to ninth grade. During those years, we were often forced to leave our homes and take shelters with wooden walls because of the floods that affected the area. These were times of great need, but we still kept going. Despite the precarious conditions in which we lived, I felt like the luckiest person in the world. I had my parents who loved me unconditionally, my friends and classmates with whom I had a great friendship, I had food and a place to sleep. What more could I ask for?
After finishing primary and secondary school, I entered the Paí Lino Polytechnic School. When I was in my first year of high school, I received one of the scholarships offered by Parafina. It was as if new opportunities had opened up before my eyes, and indeed they did. The help they were offering me was very useful. They allowed me to study in order to continue preparing myself and to achieve all the goals I had set for myself, as well as helping to reduce one less burden that fell on my parents.
Shortly after, a very bad tragedy happened to my family, the death of my older brother in a traffic accident in Argentina, which left the whole family devastated. The worst thing was not being able to say goodbye to him or see him for the last time, since I could not leave the country without the authorization of my biological father who had disappeared, refusing me, even before, any permission to leave, being aware that during the entire time we lived apart, he never called me or gave me the support he was supposed to give me. They were really painful and difficult times, we had to find strength from places where there was no longer any and move forward as we had always done. Despite all that, I managed to graduate and I am proud to say that I am a graduate of a Technical Bachelor in Hospitality and Tourism with an Emphasis in Gastronomy. I am currently studying a Higher Technician's degree in Gastronomy, of course with the help of the scholarship offered by Parafina.
Throughout my life I have also carried several illnesses, due to my few defenses in my immune system, many times I was affected by everything around me as if everything was falling apart before my eyes, I felt like I was fainting, but there was always something or someone that pushed me to keep going, most of the time it was my mother my engine to continue with everything and against everything, she has never let me give up. She and my brother taught me to love cooking, since since I was little I have seen all the love and effort they always put into cooking, my mother with her exquisite homemade meals and my brother with his passion as a pizza master, they are one of the reasons why a short time ago I decided to start and open a small business where I mainly make baked goods and candied goods, so far it has gone quite well and I hope to continue growing along with my small business doing what I like to do.
I thank all the people who have always been by my side, helping me grow as a person and become what I am today. I mainly thank Parafina for giving me this opportunity, for giving me confidence and for betting on my personal improvement. I hope not to let them down. There are still many things to come, both good and perhaps bad, but I know that with God's help I will continue to be strong to face all the obstacles that life presents me and, as always, maintain the faith and strength to move forward and make my dreams come true. My infinite thanks. May God always bless you and may you continue to help other people.