By Carolina de la Cajiga
"After completing middle school at 14, I felt discouraged because there were no high schools in my community, Cruz del Palmar, nearby San Miguel, and my parents were worried about me having to move far away to continue studying," recalls Karen Vazquez, now a biologist at El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Gardens.
Driven by determination, Karen searched for opportunities to further her studies. She contacted Consejo Nacional de Fomento Educativo (CONAFE), a federal governmental organization that supports indigenous communities and migrants in marginalized areas. The institution approved her application and trained Karen for 30 months, giving her a monthly stipend of $900.00 pesos.
At the end of the training, CONAFE placed Karen in a rural kindergarten in nearby Presita de Santa Rosa to teach preschoolers. This post allowed Karen to continue living at home, avoiding extra expenses. However, when the children's mothers discovered the teacher was a child herself, they protested, but they soon recognized Karen's efforts and the quality of her work. Although challenging, Karen came out triumphant and achieved her goal of attending high school with the money she had managed to save.
As a little girl, Karen had a burning desire to attend college to become a doctor. "Years later, watching 'Law and Order' on television, I decided to study medicine, but not for the living. Forensic medicine and criminology became my thing. I thought investigating the causes of death would be neat," says Karen with a Mona Lisa smile. Even years later, with life's highs and lows, her interest has not waned; she is still searching for ways to continue her education.
After high school, Karen looked for universities in and around San Miguel, but the lack of money persisted. Focused on achieving her goal, she worked in a supermarket, which she described as an awful experience. She returned to CONAFE for further training and then took a daycare job. "I needed to strive harder," Karen told herself. Despite three years of ruthless work and furious savings, it still turned out to be insufficient to pay for college. Her desperation was colossal.
By chance, a cousin visiting the family overheard Karen's frustration and told her about Huejutla de Reyes in the state of Hidalgo, where his sisters had studied at reasonably priced universities. Delighted, Karen left; her parents felt she was mature enough this time. Unfortunately, no university there had a forensic medicine program, so after careful research, Karen opted for biology.
"Although it was not my first option, I didn't select biology accidentally—it has branches associated with forensic medicine, such as entomology, which studies insects' birth, growth, development, reproduction, and death. I'm still thrilled with my choice," Karen states. Thanks to her hard work, Karen won a scholarship from her university and another from CONAFE, plus she also had her parents continued support.
To graduate, Karen had to do an internship. Looking for the best alternative, she asked El Charco del Ingenio to take her. When finished, realizing her abilities and commitment, El Charco hired her and eventually put her in charge of curating and supervising the live plants' collection, maintenance, and propagation. She has been there for five years and is now in charge of inventories and reports; Jaime and Gabriela help with these duties. With a big smile, Karen comments, "Handling plants and touching the soil brings me tremendous joy. Nothing beats the soothing, earthy smell of soil after a rainstorm. I love sharing what I've learned, especially contributing to the conservation of species in danger of extinction."
Karen has a hectic life. Besides working full-time, she is the mother of six-year-old Itzayana and eight-month-old Gemma. Every morning, Karen gets up early to make breakfasts and lunches, then readies herself and her daughters before taking them to school and daycare. In the evening, her duties include picking her daughters up, bathing them, making dinner, and preparing everything for the next day. On weekends, the three go to church, then to soccer games, and sometimes visit relatives. She thanks her parents for their immense help all these years. "I still have a lot of plans for the future. I'm determined to continue my professional growth and lay the foundation for a legacy for my Itzayana and Gemma," says Karen proudly.
Still so young, yet with the experience and maturity she has achieved, Karen suggests, "To my daughters and others, I recommend you strive to attain whatever you want. If you fail, go back and try again. As long as you put your all into it, eventually, you will achieve what you desire. Perseverance and a bit of luck will take you where you want to go!"
If you know a Fearless Woman, Champion of Change you would like us to consider featuring, please send their contact to column writer at: cdelacajiga@gmail.com
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