My name is Jassuara Paola Mena Rios. I am 23 years old, and this is the story of how a dream began to take shape when I was just 12. At that time, I was starting the initial stages of high school, with my mind full of questions, illusions, and a deep desire to learn and get ahead. It was then that, without fully imagining it, my life changed forever: I was selected to be part of Life Together Nicaragua’s scholarship program.
I remember that day vividly. Not only was it exciting news, but it was a door that opened to opportunities that I previously saw as distant or even unattainable. The scholarship did not only mean economic or academic support, it meant a community, a constant accompaniment, and a network of people who believed in my potential even when I was still discovering it. When I received the scholarship, there were many of those things I still did not know. I thought it was like other scholarships I had seen. Those programs were about studying, going to class, and nothing else; however, my engagement in the scholarship program has been incredible. I have laughed, I have celebrated, and even cried. I have been wrong, but they have shown me the love of a family and the proper correction.
During my high school years, Life Together became much more than a program. It became a family that forged in me a new way of seeing the world. I learned values that I still carry with me: commitment, solidarity, service, and, above all, faith that, with effort and perseverance, anything is possible.
At the end of high school, I decided on one of the most demanding and, at the same time, most humane and rewarding careers: medicine. Many told me it would be difficult, but Life Together was always there, like a beacon in the middle of the road. Today, in the year 2025, I am in my fifth year of medicine. It has been a journey full of challenges, sleepless nights, endless exams, but also of experiences that have profoundly transformed me.
I have met patients who have taught me more than any book, professors who have been examples in my vocation, and colleagues with whom I have shared the struggle to become professionals in the service of others. Every time I walk into a hospital, I remember the 12-year-old girl who once dreamed of healing, of helping, and of making a difference.
And yes, I am still a part of the Life Together scholarship program. Because being part of this community has no expiration date. It’s a lifelong commitment. Today, I am an active part, not only as an intern, but as a voice of inspiration for the next generations who are starting their journey, as I once did.
My story continues, and although the future is full of unknowns, one thing is clear to me: I am here thanks to God, my family, and Life Together Nicaragua, who believed in me when I was just a child and did not know how brave, strong and persevering I would become years later.
