Janeth is Changing Lives With Her Passion For Education

Finding Hope

As she grew up in poverty-stricken Bolivia, Janeth and her family struggled to support themselves. “My mother cried most nights because of worries and frustrations. My parents couldn’t spend much time with me and my siblings because they were always working very long days and nights,” Janeth shares.

Janeth also struggled in school and failed the second grade twice. Without supportive teachers or a curriculum that could be adapted to her learning needs, Janeth thought she’d never succeed in school. “School was very difficult for me,” Janeth recalls, “My teachers told my parents that I had a lot of problems. I remember thinking, ‘I can’t do this. School is just not for me.’”

But when Janeth’s mother registered her and her siblings at a local Compassion center, Janeth was suddenly able to receive educational support, food, medical care and, most importantly, the love of Christ.

Planting a Passion

As Janeth started receiving help with school at the Compassion center, she began to develop a passion for education.

“At my Compassion center, I remember that my teacher immediately identified my challenges and created an education plan for me. My teacher told me that to Jesus, every child was special. In that moment, I understood that I had abilities and was very special to God,” says Janeth.

As Janeth overcame her educational struggles and began to excel in the Compassion program, she started asking questions about education. “I began asking ‘Why isn’t education inclusive? Why isn’t it accessible?’”

Fast forward to over a decade later, Janeth won Compassion International and Baylor University’s first ever Christian Collective for Social Innovation (CCSI) with her innovative resource Minkedu, an online platform that empowers educators to develop teaching methodologies based on the unique needs of their students and communities. In the years following, Janeth has continued championing accessible education resources for poverty-stricken communities across Central and South America.

Click here to read the full story of Janeth’s triumph in the innovation challenge!

Educating the Next Generation

Since winning the CCSI, Janeth has continued developing and promoting Minkedu and other academic programs across South America.

She shares about this work: “We have started working with municipalities in Bolivia and have also had opportunities to create programs in Chile. Our goal is to get Minkedu implemented in schools. We want to focus on social and emotional learning. A lot of educational systems don’t teach emotional or social learning, and it’s very important.”

“Every day I pray that Minkedu continues to grow and continues to impact students, teachers and parents,” Janeth shares eagerly.

A Future Full of Hope

Looking back, it’s truly inspiring to see how far Janeth has come and how many lives she has impacted through her passion for education. “I think about my life as a child, and I thank God because I met many people who pray for me and believe in me,” she says.

We can’t wait to see the incredible ways God will work through Janeth as she continues innovating and creating opportunities for countless students around the world.