You are the future

Some people’s hearts are so big, it's a wonder they fit in their chest. As in the case of our collaborators, and as in the case of Yvette, which reminds of us this fact every day. Yvette collaborated with Educo for over 15 years. She sponsored Virgilio from the Philippines and Milagros from Peru throughout their primary school years and left part of her legacy to Educo so that she could continue to leave her mark of solidarity. It is a privilege to share here the lovely words her children dedicated to her.

Our mother was born in 1927 in Nantes, in French Brittany, and was raised by her grandmother, who she loved dearly. She had a hard childhood due to her family’s economic situation and to the historical climate of the times.

When World War II ended, she moved to Paris, where she met Adolfo. They were married in 1948 before moving to Madrid to take over Adolfo's family business. It was in this Spanish city that the rest of her life took shape. She raised a family of five children and died in peace on December 20, 2013 at the age of 86.

In our memory, our mother was always involved in volunteering activities: as an aide in a hospital, in soup kitchens, reading to hospitalized children… She was particularly concerned about children, especially girls, who did not have access to an education and who missed out on the chance to fully and independently grow and integrate in society.

This is why we believe (since she did not boast of her collaboration) she collaborated with Educo; her collaboration had much to do with what she lived through in her own childhood. She must have felt that Educo was a most suitable way to fulfill her desire to help.

On occasion she received a drawing made by one of the children in the communities that received the help that she gladly gave to Educo. And these, of course, moved her, although she did not need them to know that she was doing the right thing. But they did show her that her contributions were indeed being received where they were needed. And this filled her with a sense of satisfaction.

That is why we, her children, fully respect her decision to leave a bequest to Educo and to contribute, albeit modestly, to helping it continue its work. And we are so proud that our mother has held fast to her beliefs and values, which led her to help where she felt it was most needed.
Thank you for everything you do, in our name and, above all, on behalf of our mother.

Albert and Patrick
"...Mais tu n'es pas le Bon Dieu
Tu es un homme..."
Jacques Brel
  ("...But you are not God / You are so much more / You are a man...")

Juan León Rodríguez was an Educo sponsor for thirteen years, from 1999 to 2012. Following his death, his wife, Isabel Bohórquez Quirós, continued the sponsorship for another year. Juan wished to bequeath a part of his estate to be used to help children.  And that's exactly what he did. Many boys and girls are benefitting from his legacy, a gesture of solidarity that is both timeless and priceless. 
 
Juan was born on December 5, 1922 in Ubrique, Cadiz. His friends and family told us of his humble beginnings and how these, coupled with a disability in his right hand and a need to find a livelihood, awakened in him an entrepreneurial spirit that would last a lifetime.
 
Destiny took him from Ubrique to Ronda, a populous tourist city in the province of Malaga.   “Life in Ronda was tough for him at first. He suffered great economic and emotional hardship", his friends told us. “There he embarked on his life’s pursuit, the porcelain and gift business”. He opened a store which, fueled by his "tireless, savvy, level-headed and unwavering dedication and sacrifice", blossomed years later into a prosperous business which enabled him to forge his legacy.
 
Juan’s never-ending curiosity and desire to better himself always drove him to learn something new. At 87, he learned how to use computers and continued to read the biographies of those people who he considered role models. He had always admired people with strong moral and ethical principles and who were dedicated to helping others. “In all fairness, we could say that even in his final days he was a youthful octogenarian", said his family and friends.
 
His family always supported him, especially his wife, Isabel, and his brother, Miguel, a priest whose dedication to the most in need inspired a great sense of pride in Juan. “Juan also adored his grandmother for the love and tenderness that she had always shown him, and her photo was ever-present in his home", they told us.
 
Knowing him, Juan’s family and friends attributed his long-standing collaboration with Educo to “the NGO's programs and earnestness in carrying them out. Juan’s gesture simply shows who he was, the way he thought and what he felt”. 

For over 15 years, Elisa was an Educo sponsor, until she passed away two years ago. Throughout this time, she sponsored several children and showed her concern for the wellbeing of children around the world. So much so, that she wanted to leave a legacy so that her solidarity would live on. Thanks to the people close to her, we were able to learn a little more about Elisa and share what we learned with you.

Elisa was born in Lierganes, in Santander Province, on August 4, 1929, although she lived nearly her entire life in Madrid.
Her friends describe her as a sincere person. “She was a woman who really valued truth". She was generous and disinterested and spared no effort when it came to helping others. Her friends knew that they could always count on her.
They also tell us that she was a “hard worker, social assistance and nurse in the public health system" and that she poured herself into her work. She enjoyed caring for the ill.
Religious and reserved, she never hesitated in helping those in need; at the same time, she never felt the need to make a show of her acts of solidarity, which is why many didn't know the extent of her generosity until her death.
Here, we modestly share Elisa's memory in tribute to her generosity and in gratitude for her gestures and those of all of our collaborators.

Libertad Alcaide had been an Educo sponsor for nearly 15 years, between 1998 and 2013, when she finalized her collaboration due to old age and illness. Still, we always kept the neediest in mind and that is why she chose to continue to support our projects by including Educo in her last will and testament. Libertad left us in April 2015, but her footprint of solidarity lives on.

Libertad was born in June of 1931 in Requena (Valencia). The Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed only two months earlier and the republican notions of liberty and fraternity, in addition to being reflected in her given name, accompanied her throughout her live and left their mark on her personality forever.
 

Upon marrying, she and her husband moved to Barcelona, where they lived for the majority of their lives. After being widowed in 1993, she decided to return to Valencia to live closer to her brother Miguel and other family members. A few years later, she decided to take her commitment to disadvantaged people one step further and became an Educo sponsor. Over the course of these years, she sponsored several children and saved the photographs and artwork that she received from them periodically at home, where they reminded her of how important her collaboration was in improving the living conditions of the most vulnerable children.
 
The people close to her describe her as “a good, friendly person with a high level of civic-mindedness when it comes to others”. It was precisely this generous spirit and solidary attitude that led her to leave a part of her inheritance to Educo. “Just one more civic action that was so in keeping with who she was".
 
We would like acknowledge this gesture and convey to Libertad, wherever she may be, our most sincere gratitude and that of the people who continue to benefit from her kindness.
 
That box of crayons
 
Erlinda was one of the girls that Libertad sponsored. Today, at 22, she shows great maturity and capacity for overcoming adversity. From her home in El Salvador, Erlinda tells us how she learned the value of working hard from a very young age. “When I began school, my mother always told me: ‘I am giving you until the third grade and that’s it’, but I always dreamed of graduating. Money was the most difficult part, because even though my parents wanted to give me an education, they didn't even have enough to pay for school supplies. That is why I began to work when I started the fourth grade”. And that’s when Educo came into her life. “They gave us school supplies, they taught us about good health, they fixed up the school and they were always there to help us with what we needed. This is what made me stay in school”.
 
Erlinda was sponsored by Libertad between 2005 and 2010, when she was in primary school. “For me it was a privilege to be sponsored, because that box of crayons, that pencil sharpener, those health sessions... were a blessing. Educo has been like a bridge to help me continue moving forward towards success". Thanks to her effort and determination, Erlinda finished secondary school and got her high school diploma. She currently works as a secretary and is studying Legal Science at the university. She aspires to becoming a lawyer so she can help her community defend their rights; but above all, she wants to set an example for children who live in the same conditions of poverty that she did and show them that, with a little effort, they can go far.
 
Looking back, Erlinda has words of gratitude for Libertad: “This amazing person will be rewarded for all of her good deeds. I truly appreciate the sacrifice she made for me”. The money that Libertad left Educo in her last will and testament will go to support the rights of children who, like Erlinda, live in harsh conditions and without access to quality education.

Concepción nació en Madrid en diciembre de 1941, durante los primeros años de la posguerra española. Colaboró como madrina de Educo desde 1997 hasta 2007, diez años durante los cuales apadrinó a tres niñas, primero a Enma, de Guatemala, luego a Karla, de El Salvador y por último a Virginia, también de El Salvador. Sus familiares nos acercan el retrato de esta mujer trabajadora y solidaria que quiso hacer de este un mundo más justo.

Concepción trabajó toda su vida como administrativa en una empresa siderúrgica. Soltera y sin hijos, entre sus aficiones estaba la de viajar, pasión que compartía con su hermana Toñi. Quizás durante esos viajes descubrió, en algunos de los países que visitó, la pobreza en la que se ven obligados a vivir tantos niños y niñas y decidió hacer algo para colaborar en mejorar sus vidas y aliviar su situación.

Tal vez por discreción, nunca compartió esta faceta solidaria suya y su familia, sus primos, tuvieron conocimiento de su colaboración con diversas organizaciones tras su fallecimiento, en el momento de leer su testamento. Entonces supieron que colaboraba con Educo y también con Aldeas infantiles y Cruz Roja, a cuyo beneficio legó parte de su herencia.

Dejó escrito en su testamento que la mitad de su patrimonio, bienes monetarios e inmuebles, sería para sus familiares y la otra mitad a repartir entre las tres organizaciones que trabajan a favor de la infancia en el mundo. Concepción tuvo siempre presente el bienestar de los niños y las niñas, incluso en el momento de pensar en el día en que ya no estaría.

Una profesora entregada a la infancia

Los familiares y amigos de Araceli la definen como una persona alegre, amiga de sus amigos, servicial, entregada a sus alumnos, a sus ahijados y a los niños que tenía apadrinados. Ellos nos cuentan cómo fue la vida de esta mujer, profesora de educación física, que colaboró durante 15 años con Educo apadrinando a tres niños y niñas, Marvin y Diego, de Guatemala, e Irish, de Filipinas.

Araceli nació en Santander el primer día de julio de 1935, un año antes de que estallara la Guerra Civil en España, un conflicto que la dejó huérfana de padre. Su madre, triste y desolada por la pérdida y por las penurias de la guerra, se trasladó con su hija a Palencia, donde recibió el cariño de unos tíos que le ayudaron a criar a la niña.

Araceli creció alegre y feliz en esta localidad castellanoleonesa y ahí pasó su niñez y su primera juventud hasta que, tras acabar sus estudios de Educación Física, se trasladó a Barcelona para trabajar como profesora en tres colegios religiosos. También hizo lo mismo su madre cuando se jubiló de su trabajo en Palencia como taquillera de cine, y vivieron juntas en la capital catalana hasta que falleció.

Sentía pasión por sus ahijados, a quienes dedicaba mucho cariño, y se desvivía por sus perritos. Sus familiares sienten mucha alegría por el gesto que tuvo con Educo al dedicar su colaboración durante tantos años y parte de su legado a paliar las necesidades de la infancia. Araceli ha dejado una huella que nunca desaparecerá.

Siempre quiso ayudar a los demás

Francisco Javier nació a principios de diciembre de 1935 en Belmonte de Tajo, en la provincia de Madrid. Sus familiares nos cuentan que “era una buena persona en todos los sentidos y que, a pesar de que su vida no fue muy feliz, nunca guardó ningún tipo de rencor o resentimiento”. Además, fue un trabajador incansable. Era el cuarto de cinco hermanos y, ya de bien pequeño, al salir de la escuela, en lugar de jugar con sus amigos cuidaba de su hermana menor.

Una vez convertido en adulto se fue a Madrid, donde se especializó como oficial de carpintería metálica. Estuvo casado con María Luisa, con quién tuvo a su único hijo, Luis Javier, que falleció con poco más de 30 años. Esta desgracia sumió a su mujer en una profunda depresión y Francisco Javier dedicó toda su energía a cuidarla hasta el momento de su muerte. De hecho, fue su hijo Luis Javier quien inició la colaboración con nuestra ONG en 1999 apadrinando a un niño. Tras su pérdida, Francisco Javier se hizo cargo del apadrinamiento hasta que nos dejó, a principios de este año.

“Fue un niño que sufrió mucho en su infancia, padeció la guerra civil española y la postguerra, entre otras circunstancias”, nos cuenta su sobrino, “tal vez por eso tenía ese gran corazón y siempre quiso ayudar a los demás, sobre todo evitar el sufrimiento de los niños”. Desde estas páginas queremos hacer nuestro pequeño homenaje a Francisco Javier, agradecer su humanidad y pensar en los más vulnerables durante toda tu vida, a pesar de no haberlo tenido nada fácil.
 

The economic resources left to us, like those entrusted to us by our collaborators, are put towards funding our educational projects so that thousands of children can access the education they need to improve their living conditions and overcome their poverty.

If you want to leave your mark of solidarity and continue collaborating with Educo for generations to come, call us at  93 300 11 01 and ask for Isabel Morejón.

You can also send us an email at  legados@educo.org

You may be asking yourself the following questions: