Claudia Ameijeiras

Since 7th grade, Claudia has looked for ways to improve the lives of children in small but meaningful ways, starting with a community service club, which she created and which made the wishes of five children with Cancer come true. In 9th grade, she worked with an organization in Thailand called Duang Prateep Foundation, creating global awareness in toddlers to whom she taught English, and with teenagers living in slums with whom she participated in an exchange of what it is like to be a teenager in other parts of the world. In 10th grade, she worked with a girl’s club in Zambia, in which she worked with orphans and sexual assault victims that have unprecedented determination to finish school. Here, she had discussions with the girls about the different barriers to education that the girls had to overcome and the different ways in which they could overcome it. In this same year, Claudia taught English in local schools in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, which developed into an incredible experience of global citizenship, camaraderie, and empathy. Continuing her journey, Claudia decided to focus on the children of her own community and worked with the Make A Wish Foundation to continue making the wishes of children with terminal diseases come true through various organizations, including Luces Panama and Calicanto.  As a result of these experiences, Claudia has gained valuable insight and perseverance regarding how to overcome unexpected obstacles when helping others, as well as learning key factors that make a project valuable and sustainable.