Current Students

Francisco Navarette
Imagine being born with no arms to a peasant family in a third world country - with no access to a disability services, living in a house of dirt floors, with a father who makes just 40 dollars a month. This was the case of Francisco Navarrete. Known as "Paco", he is a true Fabretto success story.

Paco enrolled at our Esteli Center at the age of 14. Six years later, he is one of the most active students there and is deeply cared for by his Fabretto peers. Through the program, Paco has not only received educational reinforcement, but has also participated in a wide variety of activities, including the choir. In spite of his disability, he has developed talents even greater than some of his friends. He is terrific at soccer, playing defense. He has mastered typing with his feet, and is one of the best students in the computer classes. Paco's tremendous spirit along with the skills he has learned thanks to Fabretto have put him on the path to great success.

Paco will be entering his 5th and final year of secondary school in February, 2010. His father says, "I expect my child to finish high school and continue his studies, and become a professional. I am very happy because he has been able to get ahead in life and he has beaten the obstacles he faces. Today I feel very proud of everything he does." In a country where most disabled people end up begging in the streets, Paco is a testiment to his own hard work and the dedication of the Esteli center staff.  Note that Fabretto's programs are not specifically geared to children with disabilities. However, we have a number of such students enrolled at our centers and schools, all of whom who have shown an incredible desire to work hard and participate in the activities we offer. We do everything we can to accomodate their needs and help them develop skills that will allow them to lead productive lives.

Blanca Aracely
Blanca Aracely Vanega Zelaya is 20 years old and was raised by her father because her mother abandoned her when I was 5. She is from Cusmapa, Nicaragua.

Blanca has been enrolled with Fabretto program since elementary school. In 4th, 5th and 6th grade she was in the youth choir - the Coro Salesiano. The coro learned Christmas carols and Nicaraguan songs and performed concerts for local audiences. In secondary school, she took regular school classes in the mornings and attended the Fabretto center in the afternoons, making use of the library to do her homework.  She also took a dance class where they learned different dance, though the focus was on folkloric forms. With much Nicaraguan pride, they danced at events and entered contests. One of her fondest memories when the dance troop won second place and were given a prize.

Thanks to a Fabretto scholarship she is now in her second year of university in Esteli where she is getting a degree in teaching. Blanca attends classes on Saturdays from 8:00am to 4:30pm. She leaves her house in Cusmapa at 4:30am in the morning in order to arrive at school on time and usually gets back home around 7:00pm. Her favorite class is pedagogy which she enjoys because is is learning how to relate to kids and others in society.  She gets practical application of her studies during the weekdays when she works in exchange for her scholarship at the Fabretto center in Cusmapa by teaching primary kids.

Blanca says, "I am a young woman with little economic resources but my future goal is to be a good teacher and help the development of my town and support my society. I thank the Fabretto family for all the support they have given me. They encourage me to never quit studying so I can get ahead. Fabretto has allowed me to pursue a career and they have helped other kids in my town with educational reinforcement and showing them how to play, sing, laugh, be active, and to feel motivated in the activities they carry out such as library work, gardening, and cleaning. I have so much to thank Fabretto for. They have been my second parents."